Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that the club are "being very careful" with Arda Guler and will not rush the Turkey international into action.
The summer arrival from Fenerbahce is yet to debut for Los Blancos, as he underwent a knee operation in August and then picked up a thigh issue in the latter stages of his recovery.
Guler has recently been back in training, and the 18-year-old has been on the bench for his side's last two matches against Rayo Vallecano and Braga in La Liga and the Champions League respectively.
The youngster was expected to be involved off the bench against Braga, with Real Madrid three goals ahead just past the hour, but he was again overlooked.
Ancelotti was asked about Guler during his post-match press conference and said that the club are "being very careful with him" due to the two injuries that he suffered back-to-back.
© Reuters
"We're being very careful with him, as he only just returned to the team after a serious injury. It'll come in time, when he's 100%," Ancelotti told reporters.
Guler scored nine times and registered 12 assists in 51 first-team appearances for Fenerbahce before making the move to the Spanish capital.
Ancelotti also discussed Brahim Diaz on Wednesday evening, with the forward making the most of a rare start, scoring his side's opening goal of the match in the 27th minute.
There has recently been speculation surrounding his future, but Ancelotti has said that Brahim is now likely to "play more minutes" due to the strength of his performance.
© Reuters
"He showed great quality and sacrificed defensively too. So, this means he might play more minutes. The thing is, his best position, where he played today, is where [Jude] Bellingham was playing so well, but Brahim did really well," said the head coach before discussing the other two goalscorers Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior.
"In the first half there were some doubts about Vinicius as he could have been more effective, but his second half was spectacular.
"What he and Rodrygo did was spectacular, with their combinations. Their counter-attack is a goal that few strike partnerships can achieve. It also helps make them feel more comfortable when you're already up on the scoreboard."
Real Madrid will now be aiming to return to winning ways in La Liga when they host Valencia on Saturday night.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to miss out with the muscular injury that he suffered in the warm-up against Braga, which will open the door for Andriy Lunin to start between the sticks.
Matt Law
