Carvajal Declares Himself Ready for Any Position at Real Madrid
Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has expressed his willingness to play in any position that coach Xabi Alonso assigns him. The Spanish right-back returned to training with the team at the beginning of this month, after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in October. Carvajal is impressed with the tactics of the new coach Alonso and, on the eve of the Club World Cup round of 16 match against Juventus, declared:Carvajal, 33 years old, faces competition at Madrid, which has reinforced its squad for the tournament in the United States with the incorporation of the English international Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Spanish defender Dean Huijsen. Alonso used a four-player defense in the first matches of the Club World Cup, but switched to his preferred three-man defensive line with Antonio Rüdiger, Tchouaméni and Huijsen in their 3-0 win against RB Salzburg. Carvajal is ready to leave his injury problems behind and contribute. “On a personal level, I feel great,” he said. “I’m back in the group dynamic. I don’t know if I’ll be in tomorrow’s call-up. I know myself and I know that if they put me in, I’ll give 100% out there. Without fear, confidence is through the roof. All this is already behind me. I lack match practice, I’ve only been training with the group for a couple of weeks.” Carvajal stated that Madrid, who finished as runners-up in LaLiga, is growing as the tournament progresses. “The team is gaining confidence and tomorrow’s opponent will be stronger than those we have faced so far in the tournament,” he said. “He’s a tougher rival and it’s an elimination match. I can’t wait. If we lose, we go home. We have to give it our all. I hope we can secure a place in the quarter-finals.”The coach is bringing a lot of versatility to the team, including Tchouaméni’s position. And I will play wherever, even in goal. I’ve played as a center-back, left-back, on the wing… I’m always ready for whatever the coach asks of me. I am available to help in whatever way I can.
Dani Carvajal
