Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa and team captain Daniel Carvajal met on Tuesday morning in Valdebebas to clarify the controversy surrounding the absence of the full-back from the starting eleven against Valencia. The meeting, which took place in a calm atmosphere, allowed both parties to exchange opinions and seek a point of understanding for the future, according to Marca. The controversy erupted during the match at Mestalla when Carvajal not only remained on the bench but also saw young David Jiménez take the starting position at right-back. To make matters worse, Jiménez's substitute in the game was Trent, who was returning from a two-month injury. The coach's decisions were difficult for the captain to accept, and his discontent became public through images captured at the end of the match, where he was seen gesturing in a visibly tense manner. Carvajal's situation had already been causing some strangeness in recent weeks. Despite being recovered from an injury and being called up consecutively, he was denied a starting position, even with Trent's absence, which forced Arbeloa to adapt Valverde to the right-back position. The return to the starting eleven was delayed, and the game against Valencia was the culmination of the tension. Carvajal underwent arthroscopy on his right knee on October 26, which kept him off the pitch for 74 days. He returned to the squad on January 4 against Betis, but since then his playing time has been minimal. In ten consecutive call-ups, the Spanish international has accumulated only 27 minutes, split between matches against Albacete and Monaco, remaining on the bench in the other eight encounters. When confronted with the situation at the press conference after the game, Arbeloa sought to downplay it. 'I see Dani getting better and better in training, but I don't think I'm going to take any risks. He will find his best level, and surely it won't be long before his importance becomes more relevant,' explained the coach. Real Madrid will also host Real Sociedad, featuring Gonçalo Guedes, this weekend before returning to the Estádio da Luz to face Benfica in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff. It remains to be seen whether Carvajal will return to the starting eleven.
Real Madrid Benfica remains central to this story.
Real Madrid Benfica remains central to this story.
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