Real Madrid veteran defender ready to challenge for starting spot after lengthy absence

Real Madrid veteran defender ready to challenge for starting spot after lengthy absence According to Mundo Deportivo , Eder Militao is ready to fight for a place in the Real Madrid starting lineup under Jose Mourinho. The 28-year-old seasoned campaigner has only recently made his way back from a lengthy injury absence, but believes that he can push for a starting berth in the backline. Militao back and ready to fight Militao had been out of action since April due to a muscle injury that required him to undergo surgery. Having recovered over the next six months, the Brazilian international finally made his comeback against Sevilla in October, appearing as a late substitute. Back after a long layoff. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) After that brief cameo, the defender did not feature again until last week when he started in the UEFA Champions League clash against AEK Athens and played the whole 90 minutes. In his absence, Mourinho has found a reliable centre-back partnership in summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen. While there may have been some missteps along the way, the pair finally seem to have found their footing, so much so that Antonio Rudiger has been reduced to a bit-part role. Now, though, having made his comeback and recovered some rhythm, Militao wants to challenge for a starting berth at Real Madrid. Challenge for Mourinho This certainly poses a dilemma for manager Militao, albeit a welcome one as he now has another top quality option in the central defence. Ready to fight for his place. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) As mentioned previously, Konate and Huijsen have established themselves as the preferred starter under the Portuguese tactician. Rudiger, despite not having been at his best so far, also remains a valuable alternative, and now with Militao also back in the mix, it gives Mourinho with enough options to keep things fresh. But the challenge for the Real Madrid boss will now be to keep all the four players involved and motivated without disrupting the defensive stability that has developed in recent weeks . How the Special One juggles his defensive options without affecting the team’s balance and stability will certainly something to watch out for once club football resumes after the international break.