Real Madrid must tread carefully in the matches leading up to El Clásico to avoid losing key players. This time, with the team’s injury crisis, the situation is even more critical.

The yellow card warning for Real Madrid ahead of their match against Celta Vigo is more serious than ever. Three players are at risk of suspension: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Dani Ceballos, and Lucas Vázquez.

These three players are crucial for Ancelotti, and with the high number of injuries, they have become irreplaceable. If they receive a yellow card today against Celta, they will miss the match at Montjuïc.

The defensive line is in crisis. Ancelotti is without his main defenders (Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, and Mendy), as well as Alaba due to injuries. He will have to rely on Lucas Vázquez, Asensio, Fran García, and Tchouaméni—who has been deployed as an emergency center-back—until the end of the season. If any further issues arise, Ancelotti may have to use Valverde as a right-back, call up a Castilla player, or even reintegrate Vallejo.

The midfield has also been affected by injuries and defensive needs. The absence of Camavinga and the use of Tchouaméni in defense limit Ancelotti’s options. This constraint is exacerbated by the three-midfielder system plus Bellingham, which worked well in the Copa del Rey final. Valverde, Ceballos, Modrić, and Güler—who has recently impressed as an interior midfielder—are the options Ancelotti must manage.

This season, only two Real Madrid players have missed La Liga matches due to accumulating five yellow cards: Vinícius, who missed the match against Sevilla in Week 19, and Modrić, who was absent for the return leg against Las Palmas.