'Emergency solutions' – Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti gives decisive transfer update amid centre-back injury crisis

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has denied rumours that his club will search for a new centre-back in January, despite suffering an injury crisis.

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• Rudiger only centre-back available for this week
• Alaba and Militao out for season with knee injuries
• Ancelotti backed Carvajal, Tchouameni to fill void

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Los Blancos are in desperate need of centre-back reinforcement after their presumptive starting pair both suffered season-ending ACL tears before the Christmas break. And after backup Nacho picked up a suspension due to a red card received against Alaves, Rudiger is the club's only available central defender.

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• WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  Despite the apparently dire situation, the manager has backed his existing options to see him through the season: "We are not contemplating signing another centre-back. We are missing two, two important pieces, but we have two others, who are very important, and we have emergency solutions like [Aurelien] Tchouameni and [Dani] Carvajal."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Los Blancos have called on their squad for emergency options before. Tchouameni played centre-back against Osasuna when Alaba and Militao were injured, while Carvajal has logged minutes in central defence in the past.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MADRID

  It appears that, unless a major switch is made, Los Blancos will go through the remainder of the season with just two first team centre-backs. Those efforts will start tomorrow when they face off against Mallorca in La Liga.