Eder Militao will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup against Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Real Madrid will aim to continue the unbeaten start to the 2024/25 season when they welcome Espanyol to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night. And Carlo Ancelotti does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
David Alaba remains the long-term absentee due to his knee injury. In addition, Eduardo Camavinga (knee), Brahim Diaz (leg), and Dani Ceballos (ankle) remain on the sidelines, with none of them likely to return before the international break. Otherwise, Ancelotti has a strong matchday squad ahead of this weekend’s game against Espanyol.
Ancelotti discussed only one player’s progress during his pre-match press conference, speaking about Camavinga and his road to recovery. In addition, the Italian tactician addressed the question of dealing with the fixture pile-up and managing his players’ minutes.
The Real Madrid manager said, “He’s close to coming back because he’s going to start working with the team next week. He’s doing well on an individual level, he’s recovered from his injury and he’s training very well. He’s a very important player for us because he allows us to rotate the midfielders more. He will add a lot to the squad.”
“Football needs to reflect because the aim is to play fewer games to avoid injuries. Players have no issue with taking a pay cut if they play fewer games. Complaints from coaches and players won’t change the calendar this season. But it’s important that bodies like UEFA, LaLiga and FIFA think about it. They have to realise that the players are getting tired.”
The Real Madrid starting lineup should not have any surprises, with Thibaut Courtois an automatic pick between the sticks. Dani Carvajal should return to the right-back spot after playing as a centre-back against VfB Stuttgart earlier this week. The Spaniard will join Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy in the backline.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Jude Bellingham. Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for the reigning La Liga champions against Espanyol, with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo completing the numbers in the final third.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
