Karim Benzema and Federico Valverde will start in the final third, but Dani Carvajal is out injured for the game between Real Madrid and Villarreal.
Real Madrid will hope to return to the top of La Liga when they lock horns with Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica on Saturday afternoon. And Carlo Ancelotti has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Dani Carvajal is unavailable due to some physical discomfort. In addition, Mariano Diaz is not a part of the travelling group. Otherwise, Ancelotti has a full-strength squad at his disposal and should name his strongest possible lineup.
The Real Madrid boss spoke about fatigue during his pre-match press conference. And Ancelotti insisted that the players who went deep into the 2022 FIFA World Cup with their nations are in optimal condition.
He said, “The guys who played in the final on 18 December don’t need much work to get back to optimal fitness, they’re already there. The guys who haven’t been doing anything for 20 days needed more work.”
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“Players are far more professional these days. They rest, stop, but never stop training, just not at 100%. They’re always doing something and they come back in good shape. Before you’d get a month off and training was the last thing you’d do.”
Thibaut Courtois should take his spot between the sticks, with Real Madrid lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him. Eder Militao and David Alaba should form the central defensive pairing, with Ferland Mendy joining them in the backline. And Lucas Vazquez should deputise for Carvajal as the right-back.
As for the midfield unit, Ancelotti might pick his strongest trifecta. So Aurelien Tchouameni will sit at the base of the midfield. And Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will accompany the Frenchman, looking to pull the strings from the middle of the park. Meanwhile, Ancelotti heaped praise on Rodrygo Goes, who scored the match-winner against CP Cacereno this week.
He said, “He’s crucial in every game. There’s no first choices. I’ve not rotated Vini Jr. and Benzema too much. When I switch Karim out, he’s played at centre-forward. He can play up top and he always makes a difference. He can play in any attacking shape because he’s an expert up there.”
But Rodrygo will unlikely start on Saturday, as Ancelotti prefers Federico Valverde on the right wing in the big games. So the Brazilian international will be on the bench. But compatriot Vinicius Junior should take his spot on the left flank. And finally, Karim Benzema will spearhead the attack, with Rodrygo, Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard being the backup offensive options.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius