Ferland Mendy lives in the shadow of uncertainty. After a season in which he has been unable to find consistency due to injuries and in which he has not been at his best in terms of his level of play, he now faces the challenge of regaining an important role within the team, which he seems to have lost. The good impression made by Fran García in the Club World Cup, coupled with the signing of Álvaro Carreras, also for the left side, make it more difficult than ever for Mendy to establish himself at left back, especially when he is not fully fit.
Since his fateful injury at the Metropolitano in the Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid, Mendy has been unable to regain his form or play for any length of time. He reappeared as a starter in the Copa del Rey final against Barça, but 10 minutes into the game he was injured again. The medical report was a blow for Ferland, as he had a tear in the proximal tendon of the rectus femoris muscle in his right quadriceps. Since then, he has been unable to play for Real Madrid for the rest of the season. He also missed the Club World Cup, and after the holidays, he has returned to work in Valdebebas. The club’s doctors, physiotherapists, and rehabilitation specialists are doing an exceptional job with the French footballer.
According to the club, Mendy is working in Valdebebas every day in the gym and is progressing well. It will be difficult for him to be ready for the start of the season and the league debut against Osasuna on August 19. Since the 4th, the club’s medical services have been evaluating Ferland’s physical condition and determining what percentage of his fitness he has regained in order to know whether he will be available or not. He later returned to work in the gym, but he is not yet touching the ball, as it is still too early. As for his future, as we reported in Grada 3, the French full-back does not want to leave the club and has no offers on the table.
Xabi’s dilemma: finding a place for Mendy in a squad with three left-backs
Xabi now faces a dilemma: play with four defenders, and therefore two full-backs, or use a three-man defense with two wing-backs. Mendy could fit into that defense, as his physical condition and defensive skills make him a very difficult player for opposing forwards to get past.
Zidane was the first to bet on him as a center back, although not on many occasions. Against Getafe, in a match at Valdebebas marked by the pandemic and with empty stands, the former Real Madrid coach placed Mendy at left back and Marcelo at wing-back. The gamble paid off, so much so that Mendy scored one of the goals in the victory.
We will have to wait for Ferland to recover and show what he is capable of again at Real Madrid. If he is 100% physically fit, he is one of the key players in the team, as he has been in the club’s recent successes. Ancelotti said he was “the best left-back in the world” defensively, and now the Tolosa-born coach will be in charge of getting him back to his best.