As the season reaches its halfway point in La Liga, as it does in most leagues, a player from Carlo Ancelotti’s squad is leading the way among the best midfield performers. To everyone’s surprise, it’s neither Jude Bellingham, nor Luka Modric, nor Federico Valverde.
18 matches have already been played out of the 38 scheduled for this season in La Liga. Currently second in the league, behind Atlético Madrid, who pushed Barcelona back into third place on matchday 18 last weekend, Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti has fared well after a complicated start to the season. Now without Toni Kroos to distribute key passes and balance the midfield, the Madrid team struggled before finding some equilibrium with tactical adjustments. While Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric started with a bang, it’s the surprising Dani Ceballos who has been delivering even more in the shadows.
Ceballos: The revelation in La Liga
Lacking playing time for months at Real Madrid, Dani Ceballos has seen his situation improve this season. Since Kroos’s departure, with whom he shares a similar style of play, Carlo Ancelotti has had to get the 28-year-old Spanish midfielder back on track. Having come on in the early matches of the season, Ceballos has impressed with his performances. Capable of holding the ball and ensuring balance in midfield, the former Arsenal loanee has forced Ancelotti to adjust his tactical approach.
Since November, Dani has become a key figure in midfield. Satisfied with his contribution to the team, Florentino Pérez and Carlo Ancelotti have closed the door to a potential departure for Ceballos, who had been targeted by Real Betis. Speaking of his contribution, Datamb.football, a platform that specialises in tracking player statistics, released its first report on the top players in La Liga this season.
Despite the names of Pedri, Bellingham, Modric, and others, it is Dani Ceballos who leads all midfielders in La Liga in terms of successful passes, pass accuracy, forward passes, accuracy of forward passes, and short passes per 90 minutes. He is also ranked 3rd in progressive passes per 90 minutes. This is an exceptional performance from the Madrid player, who has been doing an immense job in the shadows.
In any case, with this revelation from Datamb, Carlo Ancelotti can be pleased with Dani Ceballos, who will continue to make a significant impact during the second half of the season, when Real Madrid will play important matches, especially in the Champions League.
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