Real Madrid midfielder now ahead of breakout youngster in Ancelotti’s pecking order  | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti has had a difficult time managing his ranks in defence, especially in the wake of injuries to key players.

Even as we approach the halfway point of the campaign, Real Madrid are without the services of David Alaba, Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao.

Their absences have seriously limited Ancelotti’s options in defence, prompting the Italian to put his faith in RM Castilla starlet Raul Asencio.

Asencio hasn’t disappointed either, producing decent performances alongside Antonio Rudiger at centre-back, even prompting Real Madrid to consider him as a ‘first-team material’.

Tchouameni ahead of Asencio in the pecking order

However, despite Asencio’s promising displays, it appears Ancelotti continues to favour establised first-team stars.

Raul Asencio has done well since making his debut (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

To that end, MARCA reports that the Italian tactician has solidified his trust in Aurelien Tchouameni in the centre-back position.

It appears the recent injuries have forced Ancelotti to deploy the Frenchman in the centre-back position alongside Rudiger.

The player has not disappointed at all and has, in fact, overtaken Asencio in the pecking order, as far as Ancelotti’s defensive options are concerned.

The report also implies that Asencio was merely a stop-gap option for Ancelotti, one he was forced to use when he started noticing the depleting options in central defence.

That said, Asencio still remains a useful option for Real Madrid as they gear up for a busy December and an even busier January period, where the team could play up to 10 matches in the space of four weeks.