Not even Ancelotti can get Jovic's Real Madrid career going

Real Madrid have already played 13 games so far this season, yet Luka Jovic has been on the pitch for a total of just 60 minutes across five matches.

To put it into perspective, of the players who have already featured in 2021/22, only Antonio Blanco and Marcelo have played less than the Serbian striker, who is struggling to establish himself in the team.

Carlo Ancelotti's arrival this summer could have served as a turning point in Jovic's career at Los Blancos, but the Italian coach doesn't seem to have much faith in the former Eintracht Frankfurt forward.

Jovic down the pecking order

Despite Real Madrid struggling to break down Osasuna's low block on Wednesday, Ancelotti opted for Eden Hazard, Rodrygo Goes and Marcelo in an attempt to help the team find ways to unlock the visitors' defence at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid's next three LaLiga Santander games are against supposedly weaker opponents, such as Elche, Granada and Rayo Vallecano, with Ancelotti expected to give Karim Benzema some rest due to Los Blancos' congested calendar.

Although he has been constantly rotating his wingers, though, Ancelotti has started Benzema in all of Real Madrid's games so far, with the French striker being the only undisputed starter along with Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois in the league.

Meanwhile, the most time Jovic has spent on the pitch during a game was the 30 minutes he played in Real Madrid's defeat away at Espanyol.

The 23-year-old returned to Eintracht on a six-month loan deal last January in search of playing time after hardly stepping onto the pitch under Zinedine Zidane.

In his first season at Real Madrid, he scored just two goals in 17 games and this year he is also struggling to impress Ancelotti.

Benzema may need some rest after the November international break, which will see France face Kazakhstan and Finland in the World Cup qualifiers.

However, the Frenchman is in pursuit of his first LaLiga Santander top scorer's award and may not be willing to miss many games this season.

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