Real Madrid vs. Osasuna: Fran García would be Zidane's starting left back at the Bernabéu for LaLiga Santander [PHOTOS]

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Nothing is certain. The muscular injury of Frenchman Ferland Mendy, combined with the absence of Brazilian Marcelo due to cervicodorsalgia, leaves Zinedine Zidane with a problem at left back against Osasuna and Atletico Madrid. While it is true that the first option for Real Madrid is Nacho Fernandez, Fran Garcia - a homegrown player of the 'Merengue' team - could surprise at the Bernabeu and get his first minutes as a starter.

Raul Gonzalez Blanco's left flank at Castilla offers Zidane two options while Marcelo completes his recovery process. They are Fran Garcia, who has been playing as a winger this season but has been trained as a full-back in the Real Madrid youth academy, and Javi Hernandez, a player who usually plays at left back after years as a center-back.

The Real Madrid coaching staff will assess Marcelo's progress after the match against Osasuna to determine his return date. While everything points to Nacho being the chosen player by Zidane, who has not played a single minute this season and his last official match was on May 19th in the defeat against Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu in the last round of the previous league.

However, the option of Fran Garcia is still there. It is worth noting that the last time Nacho played as a starting left back was on October 6th, 2018, in matchday 8 of LaLiga Santander, with a 1-0 victory against Alaves. The arrival of Brazilian Militao has made him the fourth center-back and the last option for Zidane in the center of defense.

This has led to a decrease in minutes for Nacho compared to previous seasons. Moreover, injuries and his versatility could result in his presence in one of the big matches of the season, the Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano.

French coach Zinedine Zidane said he is "upset" but not worried about the plague of injuries that Real Madrid is suffering from. He argued that it is not due to poor physical preparation and defended his team's work, pointing directly to the number of matches that a footballer faces as a responsible factor.

Mendy's injury raises questions about the preparation of Real Madrid players and Zidane responded. "The preparation hasn't changed," he said. "All fitness coaches think about the well-being of the team. They're very competent and professional people who have achieved a lot," he concluded.

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