Late Wednesday night, when Dani Ceballos was helped off the field in visible pain and emotional distress, clutching his left hamstring after a collision with Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, the worst was feared: The team’s most important ball-progressor from deep, a unique profile in the post-Toni Kroos era, could be out for an extended period of time during a crucial make-or-break point in the season.
Still, some optimism, if not much, remained that the injury could be less severe than it looked. All of that was put to bed this morning, when Real Madrid, after medically evaluating Ceballos, diagnosed him with a ‘semimembranosus muscle injury affecting the tendon in his left leg’. The injury will see the Spaniard out some two months.
The news is devastating. Ceballos was seen, both internally and externally, as a pivotal player in the second half of the season, as, through his own great form, he had worked his way into a deserved starting role. Ceballos was a pivotal piece of the success over Manchester City, and his emergence in the double-pivot alongside Aurelien Tchouameni brought balance. He provided a two-way engine, both as an escape-valve facing a high press and through tenacious hunting on defense.
Ceballos had made a big bet on himself when, in the summer of 2023, he renewed his contract with Real Madrid until 2027 — playing the long game with both Luka Modric and (then) Toni Kroos still in the squad, with a plethora of young midfield stars coming up the ranks.
It took time, but his perseverance paid off. The team looks better with him on the field this season.
This season, Ceballos boasted a league-best 94.5% passing accuracy — a mark that puts him third in the Big Five Leagues. He was key in preserving possession.
Real Madrid now have to look to a combination of players to step up to get the job done.
“Every player has his own characteristics and he has very good ball handling,” Ancelotti said of Ceballos after Real Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad. “He brought better possession and better ball handling. The rest have other characteristics but, for example, we also have Modrić, who is similar to Ceballos in this sense. Bellingham is also playing very well, helping the team a lot in handling. We will have to replace an important player, but we will do it.”
Luka Modric’s role now becomes vital. He is the best ball-progresser left in the team now not named Jude Bellingham. He will have to take on a more taxing role at the age of 39. Modric can do what Ceballos did in the build-up phase, but he will struggle having the legs to keep up and cover ground on defense, and that’s where Ancelotti will demand more of Eduardo Camavinga, who hasn’t been at his best this season, as well as continued form from the rejuvenated Tchouameni.
It will take a herculean effort now from the remaining midfielders, particularly with the concerning health of Fede Valverde, already stretched thin keeping the right-back position afloat.