Vinicius Junior will return from a suspension when Real Madrid and Valencia face off at the Mestalla on Friday.
Real Madrid will aim to jump to the top of La Liga when they lock horns with Valencia at the Mestalla on Friday night. And Carlo Ancelotti has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Vinicius Junior is available after serving a one-match suspension. However, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba continue to recover from their knee injuries, with the trio the only players not in the travelling squad to take on Valencia this week.
Alaba is gradually closing in on returning from a year-long layoff, and during his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti spoke about the possibility of rotations when the veteran defender returns. The Italian tactician also discussed Vinicius Junior’s importance.
The Real Madrid manager said, “We’re thinking about how to do it. We’ve got a more complete side now and there will be more rotation, especially at the back once Alaba is playing again. That’s the position where we’ve struggled the most. He’ll start getting involved in training games next week, and I hope he’ll be back on the pitch around the 20th of January. That will really help.”
Ancelotti said on Vinicius Junior, “He’s great. He’s come back in good shape and he made the most of the time off. He’s fresh, motivated and excited about the awards he’s won in recent weeks. He’s prepared for the game as he always does, eager to make a difference tomorrow.”
Vinicius Junior will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup, joining Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo in the final third. The trio will form a fluid offensive trifecta, with Jude Bellingham reprising the no. 10 role and looking for scoring opportunities. As for the midfield unit, Eduardo Camavinga should return to the double pivot, pairing up alongside Federico Valverde in the middle of the park.
So, Dani Ceballos will drop to the bench, with Fran Garcia starting as the left-back. The Spaniard will join Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Antonio Rudiger in the backline. Finally, there is no looking past Thibaut Courtois between the sticks.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Fran Garcia; Camavinga, Valverde; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
