No minutes, no answers — Carvajal’s silence speaks louder at Madrid

Madrid—Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Valencia on Saturday night added three more points to their La Liga tally, yet the post-match conversation centered on a player who never left the bench. Dani Carvajal, club captain and 23-year servant, watched all 90 minutes from the technical area as academy graduate David Jiménez started at right-back and Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return from injury in the 76th minute. Carvajal, 34, did not play at all.

Television cameras captured the veteran in an extended, animated discussion with fitness coach Antonio Pintus moments after the final whistle, his expression suggesting confusion rather than acceptance. Head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, asked directly about the omission, insisted the decision was precautionary. “Dani is improving step by step in training, but we don’t want to take any risks,” he told reporters, adding that Carvajal remains “an important figure in the dressing room.”

The explanation has done little to quell speculation. Since returning from injury, Carvajal has featured only sporadically and has now gone four consecutive matches without a single minute. The Athletic reports that the club are weighing whether to offer a new deal to the defender, whose contract expires in June, while those close to the player are reportedly unconvinced that Madrid still represents the best environment for the final stage of his career.

Internal discussions about acquiring a new right-back this summer have already taken place, according to the same report, a signal that the hierarchy may be preparing for life after the four-time Champions League winner. Once considered untouchable at the Bernabéu, Carvajal now faces increased competition, lingering fitness concerns and an uncertain future, leaving fans to wonder whether Saturday’s benching was merely rotation or the beginning of a farewell.