Real Madrid midfielder fuels exit rumours after attending Betis' game against Celta Vigo

Dani Ceballos might have hinted at his Real Madrid departure after attending a game between his former club Real Betis and Celta Vigo at the Benito Villamarin on Sunday. The midfielder was present in the stadium's VIP box at the weekend and showed support for the home side.

Ceballos has been used sparingly by Carlo Ancelotti this season, with the Spaniard accumulating just 108 minutes across six appearances in all competitions. He has started in just one game, which, coincidentally, came against his old club Real Betis.

Ceballos has had constant struggles with injuries and the 28-year-old has already missed eight games this season due to injury. He returned from injury in October, and played 27 minutes against AC Milan in the Champions League. He couldn't help Madrid make a comeback in their eventual 3-1 loss to the Rossoneri.

He had a fantastic 2022-23 season, where he made 46 appearances in all competitions. Although he wasn't a certified starter that campaign, he displayed his brilliance in midfield and registered nine assists in less than 2000 minutes of football. That earned him a contract extension until 2027.

Ceballos redeemed himself at Real Madrid in the 2022-23 season, but he managed to play just 864 minutes across all competitions the following season, when Los Blancos captured the LaLiga and Champions League double. Following Nabil Fekir's exit from Real Betis, Ceballos was heavily linked with a move to his former club in the summer of 2024. However, he stayed put at the Santiago Bernabeu.

With players set to turn their attention to international football in the coming days, Ceballos will be staying back at Valdebebas to work his way back to full fitness. He will be hoping that Ancelotti counts upon him more often in the second half of the season, when there will be even more fixture congestion.