Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed he plans to move away from the 4-3-3 formation this season to maximise his central midfielders.
Jude Bellingham's blockbuster move to the Santiago Bernabeu has only added to the frightening quality in Ancelotti's midfield, with the Englishman joining Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos as senior options. Arda Guler, an attacking midfielder, also needs minutes.
To try and get the best out of that ludicrously talented group, Ancelotti has suggested this could be the time to try something new.
"It may be that this year we are going to play a different system, taking into account the business we have done," Ancelotti told a virtual press conference. "The systems we have used in recent years have given us lots of success and we must not forget that, but we have to try find a new style.
"We are going to try it, especially on the tour, which is an important moment in our pre-season."
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Pushed to explain why he is considering abandoning a successful tactic, Ancelotti argued systems must be adapted to suit the players and not the other way around.
"When I started training I had an idea and I didn't adapt to the players," Ancelotti recalled. "I had the opportunity to sign [Roberto] Baggio and I didn't sign him because of his position.
"Then I realised it was a mistake, and when I had [Zinedine] Zidane I realised again. You have to adapt the system to the characteristics of these players. I adapted and I continue to adapt."
Finally, Ancelotti confirmed Camavinga's future at Real Madrid is as part of this midfield unit and not in the left-back position in which he impressed last season.
"Our plan is to deploy Camavinga either as a central midfielder or as a defensive midfielder," Ancelotti confirmed. "If Fran Garcia or [Ferland] Mendy are available, he won’t play as a left-back."
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This article was originally published on 90min as Carlo Ancelotti reveals plans to change Real Madrid formation.