Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Endrick is set to make his first official start for Real Madrid, following a promising performance from the 18-year-old Brazilian forward. After scoring against Real Valladolid in La Liga and Stuttgart in the Champions League, Endrick could be in the lineup for the match against Espanyol on Saturday or Alavés on Tuesday.

“He will start one of the upcoming matches,” Ancelotti confirmed in a press conference. “In his future, he will start many matches due to his quality. He is a very humble boy, who speaks little and works hard. I really like that,” he praised.

Ancelotti acknowledged that the team is not currently in peak form but highlighted the progress he sees in every game, having played seven matches with five victories, two draws, and already secured a title, the Supercopa de España.

“Good Dynamics”

“I want to see a Madrid that continues to progress and improve against Espanyol. It seems we are entering a good dynamic after winning the last two matches, and we want to keep it going,” he stated.

While he admitted that the team allowed too many chances against Stuttgart in their Champions League debut, he defended that the victory was not due to a lack of defensive attitude.

“This is something we are evaluating because we gave away many opportunities against Stuttgart. It was mainly due to mistakes in our buildup play, similar to Barcelona’s issues yesterday. But we are not an unbalanced team,” he commented.

“Many chances arise because we fail with the ball, not because of positioning. To avoid this doesn’t mean we need to defend better; it means we need to play longer balls earlier. Sometimes, that’s a solution to avoid a problem,” Ancelotti suggested, advocating for a more direct style of play.

Will There Be Rotations in La Liga?

Ancelotti did not reveal if he will introduce rotations against Espanyol, nor did he focus on the upcoming matches of direct rivals, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who are level on points with Real Madrid.

“The upcoming match is an opportunity to play well, win, and think about Tuesday without injuries. We need to see the team improving and getting back into a good dynamic. La Liga is very long, and now is not the time to think too much about our rivals,” he said.

“We are not at our best level, but that is quite normal at this time of the season. In recent years, we have never been at our peak in September, usually in October or November when the season starts to settle in. For now, we are doing quite well,” he defended.

Waiting for Camavinga

Finally, he assessed the development of French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, confirming his recovery from a knee sprain and that he will return to training with the group next week.

“Camavinga is very close; he will start working with the team next week. He is at a good individual level, has recovered from his injury, and is working very well. He is a very important player who allows us to rotate our midfield more during this phase of the season. He will contribute a lot to the squad,” he concluded.