Real Madrid's injury report allows the club to make additions even though the winter transfer window has closed.
Since these are long-term absences, the club always has the option to bring in players to cover for the injured ones.
Sergio Ramos offered himself to Ancelotti as a stopgap
But it's not easy to find a temporary stopgap while waiting for Carvajal, Militão, and Alaba to recover. The good ones are already taken and demand a financial effort that isn't always worth facing.
Meanwhile, it's in these circumstances that veterans appear as an alternative. It happened with Sergio Ramos.He offered himself to Real Madrid, but neither Ancelotti found his return appropriate nor Florentino to pay him a golden salary when he's already semi-retired.
But Sergio Ramos isn't the only center-back who has offered himself to Real Madrid. Another legendary old glory has done so, according to GolDigital.
This is Képler Laverán Lima Ferreira, about to turn 42 years old. The name might not ring a bell. But if we call him Pepe, we have a center-back who left a mark at Real Madrid, where he was part of the squad for ten years.
Pepe, willing to come out of retirement and play six months at Bernabéu
Pepe left Bernabéu at 33 years old. Then he played two years at Turkish Besiktas and six more seasons at Porto, where he retired. Until shortly before that moment, he maintained his status as an international for the Portuguese national team.
He was an essentially physical footballer and remains in excellent shape. And, despite his retirement, like Barça's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, he's willing to return to activity.
In fact, it's been half a year since he left football. And it wouldn't be hard for him to get in shape to finish the season filling the gaps left by injuries at Real Madrid.
He has let Real Madrid know that if he can be of help, they should count on him. So far, no one has considered this possibility as feasible, unlike what has happened at Barcelona with Wojciech Szczęsny.
The great advantage is that his incorporation would be free and his salary more than modest.