Real Madrid hit by double suspension: Alvaro Carreras and Endrick out vs Sevilla

Real Madrid will face Sevilla on Saturday without two notable names. Alvaro Carreras and Endrick remain suspended and are unavailable for selection, increasing the pressure on the left flank and thinning out late-game attacking options. Fran Garcia is in line to start at left-back, while the bench loses a potential impact forward. The timing is awkward with fixture congestion tightening and points at a premium. Inside the dressing room, the message is clear: manage the margins, control transitions, and lean on experience. Sevilla arrive organized and stubborn. Madrid must find balance without Carreras' thrust and Endrick's spark.

The decision confirming the ongoing suspensions arrived in the build-up to Real Madrid vs Sevilla, a key La Liga matchday meeting in Madrid. It follows disciplinary sanctions from the previous round that have not yet expired. Internally, Madrid staff had prepared contingency plans during the week, with left-back rotations discussed and attacking substitutions re-mapped to compensate for Endrick’s absence. Sevilla, themselves compact and direct under pressure, have typically targeted wide channels in recent trips to the capital, adding extra importance to Madrid’s left side coverage and ball progression without Carreras.

🚨 REMINDER: Alvaro Carreras (and Endrick) is still suspended and won't play against Sevilla on Saturday.

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

The immediate tactical impact is clearest on Madrid’s left. Carreras has been a high-usage outlet in early phases and a repeat runner into the half-space, which stretches the block and opens switch-of-play lanes. Without him, Madrid lose progressive carries and those quick underlaps that pull a second defender toward the touchline. Expect a drop in crossing threat from open play and a heavier reliance on interior combinations to release the winger outside.

Fran Garcia is the logical replacement. He offers pace, aggressive recovery runs, and vertical width, but his risk profile is higher. When he steps early, space can appear behind him. That means the left-sided midfielder - or a center back shading across - must track Sevilla’s first pass into transition. If Madrid manage that spacing, Garcia’s directness can still pin Sevilla back and draw fouls in wide areas.

Endrick’s absence trims Madrid’s late-game punch. He changes tempo, attacks second balls, and pressures center backs into rushed clearances that Madrid can recycle. Without him, the bench loses a chaos agent. Look for Madrid to manufacture that energy via a pressing tweak on 65-75 minutes or by introducing a runner from midfield to arrive in the box.

Set pieces grow in value. With fewer natural wide overloads, Madrid can hunt corners and free kicks to maintain territory. The model here: manage transitions, maximize restarts, and control Sevilla’s back-post patterns. If those three boxes are ticked, the performance floor stays high despite the suspensions.

Reaction

The mood among Madrid supporters swung between resignation and irritation as the Sevilla match nears. Many acknowledged the silver lining - extra rest for a heavily used Carreras - but most of the noise centered on the likely knock-on effect: Fran Garcia starting again. Fans pointed to recent outings where Garcia’s positioning drew heat, with several insisting he plays like a winger trapped at full-back. The timeline filled with variations of the same concern: the left side feels vulnerable without Carreras’ control and calm decisions under pressure.

On Endrick, the tone was frustration with a pinch of impatience. Followers had been waiting for a spark off the bench - a dribble, a chaotic press, a decisive run. Instead, they’re being asked to wait longer. A few suggested the team’s late-game identity has become too predictable without his burst. Others argued this is simply part of his adaptation arc, and that protecting him now pays off in spring.

Underlying all of it is the anxiety that big games are coming fast. The comment threads read like a tug-of-war between those who want assertive solutions - reshaping the back line, testing hybrids - and those who prefer continuity and trust in squad mechanisms. The Sevilla context sharpened the debate: nobody doubts Madrid’s ceiling, but in the absence of Carreras and Endrick, supporters want proof that the plan B is more than a patch.

Social reactions

The positive side is that he can rest. Carreras is the player Alonso uses most often, besides Courtois.

Rizqi™ (@rizqiakbarsyah)

carreras is only good at left back. Dont put him again centre back. Mendy can be a better choice for centre back.

bar10yearsnochampionsleaguelona (@Sergio_Ramos_87)

swear if i see that fraud fran garcia on the pitch

ElecTroZ (@Elec7roZx)

Prediction

Madrid will likely keep their base structure and start Fran Garcia at left-back. Expect early instructions to be conservative: lock the lane, keep the passing angle into the No. 8 alive, and only overlap when the holding midfielder is set to cover. If Sevilla press high, Madrid could flip the left center back wider in build-up, turning the first phase into a temporary back three that gives Garcia a clearer launching lane. If Sevilla sit, Madrid will bait them with short passes before releasing the winger down the outside channel.

Without Endrick, the bench plan tilts toward a late midfield runner and a wide forward who can attack the second post. Madrid might time substitutions around Sevilla’s first changes, matching fresh legs and preserving intensity. Look for targeted rotations at 60-70 minutes, not wholesale shifts.

Two main scenarios: 1) Madrid score first, use control to keep Sevilla at arm’s length, and protect Garcia with clean rest-defense spacing. 2) A cagey first hour where Madrid lean into set pieces and long switches to move the block. In both cases, individual quality should create two or three high-value looks. Sevilla’s best path is forcing turnovers on Madrid’s left and attacking the gap behind the full-back. If Madrid manage that risk - and they should with clear instructions - a narrow home win remains the most probable outcome.

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Conclusion

Stripped of noise, this is a stress test for Madrid’s squad craft. Carreras has grown into a reliable left-side metronome, and Endrick, even in short bursts, bends matches in Madrid’s favor. Losing both exposes the question every title challenger faces in winter: can plan B hold the line while plan A reloads. The answer will depend on discipline more than invention. Tidy distances when Garcia steps out, patient circulation to draw Sevilla’s block, and sharper restarts to tilt pressure. Do the small things well, and the platform appears. From there, quality usually finds the net.

The flipside is the lesson. If Sevilla do find joy down Madrid’s left, it’s a film-room correction ahead of a tougher schedule. If Madrid suffocate those moments, it validates the staff’s adjustments and quiets the chatter around depth. Either way, Saturday offers honest feedback. The suspensions are a headache, not a crisis. Handle the moments, protect transition, and the points follow.