The public of Santiago Bernabéu dismissed to Toni kroos On May 25. Played 87 minutes before the Betiswith the league won and a few days before lifting the Championsand was cheered. Instead, simple chance or as a message of destiny, he jumped to the grass Dani Ceballosnow turned into a new compass of this Madrid that has suffered so much without the German midfielder. An unexpected compass, because the white team plan was another. Soccer, yes, has these things, and there are few more obsessed with the ball than that of Utrera.
At 28, who will be 29 in August, Ceballos celebrates his eighth season on the payroll of Madrid. It arrived in 2017,con 20 Springfrom Betis, and has only moved away from Chamartín to play two courses as assigned to Arsenal. And you can say that it has never been as good as now. Already accumulate more than 1,000 minutes (1,072), a figure that already exceeds that last campaign, and what is more important, has become key to the game system of Carlo Ancelotti.
THE IDEAL OF THE CLUB
The output of Kroos It was understood by the Madrid directive as the time when Tchoauéni, Camaviga, valverde y Bellingham They had to assume the center of the Madrid field, a reflection that is still present in the offices of Valdebebas. But again, the grass judges things in another way. The injuries have weighed the puzzle that had built the club’s thinking heads, first those of the defense, forcing Ancelotti to have tchouaméni in the center of the rear and with Valverde at times on the right side. And then the Camavingacurrently in nursing for a muscular problem.
That situation has given Ceballos The opportunity of his life. Not only for the minutes, but also for their role. Until now, the Andalusian had been an emergency complement in the Madrid Machine Room, always in the shadow of Kroos and Modric. German and Croatian were calm and brain in a center of the power field, muscle and verticality. But now, with retired Kroos and Modric watching the end, Ceballos has taken a step forward.
Has overcome the Ankle lesion who moved him away from the group in September and since December is undisputed holderhelping a streak of Madrid that has only found two losses: that of San Mamés and that of Barça. His is the fault of the last improvement of the white team, specified in four consecutive victories before Celta, Las Palmas, Salzburg and Valladolidall with him as a holder.
A football patient
The Andalusian has understood that he had to play faster than in his first seasons, that it was mandatory to improve on the defensive plot and that he had to take advantage of the lack of command and ideas in the center of the field, taking the team’s helm without hesitation. It has vision, character and understanding of the game, something to value in Valdebebas. «It is an obsessive of football, a coach. It describes the tactical systems of all European teams, their players and their characteristics. Understand a lot», They say from the Sports City, where they are placed as one of the costume leaders.
That obsession transcends football itself and goes further, stroking several sports such as NBA o to NFLwhere he is also interested in tactics. «He will be a coach, sure», They admit in the locker room:” It is one of the most listened. “
His improvement in sensations and in time of play with Madrid have put him again on the list of futures of the National Team. Luis de la Fuente stopped having him after the controversy with Gavi In 2023 and it seemed that his case was completely closed, but if the national technician follows at this level, which had him as a fixed in the lower ones, he could repeat him.