Zidane declines to call on Castilla despite defensive crisis
The Real Madrid boss has not called up any canteranos for the visit of Valencia. Mayoral, Llorente, Ceballos and Theo Hernández are all included.
Borja Mayoral has been called up to Zinedine Zidane’s squad for the visit of Valencia on Sunday night, with Marcos Llorente, Theo Hernández and Dani Ceballos also included.
The Real Madrid manager faces a mini-crisis at the back in the Bernabéu, with Sergio Ramos suspended and Raphaël Varane injured. Jesús Vallejo, who returned to the club from a loan with Frankfurt this summer as back-up to the captain and France international, is also sidelined leaving Zidane with just one available senior central defender in Nacho.
However, Zidane has elected not to dip into the Castilla stock to provide cover and could decide to play Casemiro in the centre of defence alongside the Spain international.
Mayoral comes into the squad in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is serving a five-match ban for pushing the referee in the Spanish Super Cup triumph over Barcelona.
Real Madrid squad vs Valencia
Keepers: Keylor Navas, Kiko Casilla, Luca Zidane.
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Nacho, Marcelo, Theo Hernández.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Marcos Llorente, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Isco, Dani Ceballos, Marco Asensio.
Forwards: Lucas Vázquez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Borja Mayoral.
