Güler’s form could push out Real Madrid starter against Liverpool

A couple of hours after Real Madrid’s victory over Leganés, 19-year-old Arda Güler took to social media with a message: “Believe and rise,” followed by a white heart emoji. His teammates quickly congratulated him on his performance.

Fede Valverde humorously replied, “Thanks bro,” referring to the setup that led to his second goal, scored after an indirect free kick. Later, Arda playfully responded, “What an assist…”

But jokes aside, the young Turkish forward felt right at home on the pitch, being one of the new faces in Ancelotti’s starting lineup against Leganés. Positioned on the right in a diamond midfield, supporting Valverde and Camavinga in advancing the ball down the right flank, Güler was back to his best.

Arda’s impressive Butarque performance

His immense talent allowed him to adapt to the opponent’s style, creating danger without hesitation. Early in the game, he outmanoeuvred Neyou with a body feint, drawing a loud reaction from the Butarque stands. Moments later, he penetrated the Leganés area and unleashed a shot that Dmitrovic deflected with his right hand.

This was Arda’s fourth start of the season (Real Madrid has played 19 matches across all competitions), and he led the team in shots on target against Dmitrovic: five attempts, three on target, tying with Mbappé, though the Turk didn’t score. He also made the most crosses for Madrid, with four.

Additionally, he completed 38 of 41 passes (a 92.7% accuracy rate), with 23 in the final third, and successfully executed four dribbles (tying with Bellingham and one less than Vinicius, the leader).

Will Güler play for Real Madrid against Liverpool?

These stats earned him praise from Carlo Ancelotti in the post-match press conference: “Arda was also creative in the final third and came close to scoring. He had a complete game…” These numbers are similar to his first start this season: against Valladolid, he also led in shots (five), with the same number of shots on target (three), completing 36 of 42 passes (an 85.7% accuracy rate), with 24 in the final third.

However, it seems likely that Brahim will start against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday, assuming Rodrygo doesn’t recover in time (he’s expected to be out but should be available for Sunday’s match against Getafe).

Step by step, Arda is making his mark with his ability to create scoring opportunities, always presenting himself as a viable option for his teammates. He just needs more playing time…

Original article written by Agustín Martín, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Joe Brennan.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.