When will Arda Guler return? Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti provides massive injury update
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has provided a huge injury update on summer signing Arda Guler.
Los Blancos signed the Turkey international from Fenerbahce in a deal worth €30 million with add-ons. Barcelona also wanted to sign the playmaker, but he chose to join the Madrid-based giants instead.
Real Madrid ensured that they kept Guler, 18, with the first team for the 2023-24 season instead of loaning him out. But his start at the club was marred by a knee injury in pre-season.
Ancelotti has now confirmed that the 18-year-old will be back in training on Monday (25 September). He said at his latest press conference (h/t Managing Madrid):
"He’s [Arda Guler] good, he’s ending his individual work and he’ll join the team for training on Monday."
The Turkish playmaker largely plays as a No. 10 but can also play on the right flank. His profile is, hence, similar to that of Marco Asensio, who left the club this summer to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Currently, Ancelotti deploys a diamond in midfield with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes playing up front. Jude Bellingham has made the No. 10 role his own, so it remains to be seen where Guler will fit into the Italian tactician's XI.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti sees Manchester City as Champions League favorites
No team in European football has more UEFA Champions League trophies than Real Madrid's 14.
But Carlo Ancelotti doesn't see Los Merengues as the favorites to win the competition. Instead, he believes Manchester City are odds-on to defend their European crown.
The Cityzens became just the second English team in history to win the treble when they achieved the feat last term. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have won the competition five times since the start of the 2013-14 season.
Speaking at his pre-match presser, Ancelotti said, via the aforementioned source:
"I think Manchester City are favourites, more than anything because their squad let them win last season and it hasn’t changed much. Above all, they won it last year. In the Champions League there are always surprises in the final stages, but today Manchester City are the favourites."
Real Madrid begin their Champions League campaign on Wednesday (20 September) with a home game against Union Berlin. They are heavy favorites to qualify from Group C, which also includes Serie A champions Napoli and Portuguese giants Braga.