Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup against CA Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Real Madrid will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome CA Osasuna to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon. And Carlo Ancelotti has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Aurelien Tchouameni is the latest absentee after picking up an ankle injury earlier this week against AC Milan. The Frenchman has joined Thibaut Courtois (leg), Dani Carvajal (knee), and David Alaba (knee) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Federico Valverde is in the matchday squad after concerns regarding a back issue.
Ancelotti discussed Valverde’s fitness situation during his pre-match press conference, saying, “He’s in great shape, ready to play tomorrow. He’s trained well, as have all the others the last couple of days in preparation for the match.”
The Real Madrid manager added, “I’ve never said he had a back issue, it’s never something we’ve said at the club. He was struggling with discomfort in his back during the week but he’s recovered now. He’s absolutely fine now and we’ll be counting on him.”
Ancelotti also spoke about two players who have not played much in recent weeks. The Italian tactician said, “He’s [Endrick] ready to play. He’s doing fantastically and he show such quality in training. I would say the same thing about Arda, they’re young and they’re putting pressure on the others.”
While Endrick and Arda Guler might appear off the bench, they will not feature from the get-go. Kylian Mbappe will spearhead the Real Madrid attack against CA Osasuna, with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior joining him in the final third.
As for the midfield unit, Luka Modric will drop out, with Eduardo Camavinga accompanying Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham in the middle of the park. The backline should not see a change, with Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy retaining their spots. Finally, Andriy Lunin will continue between the sticks in Courtois’s continued absence.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
