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

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.

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."

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.

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.