Eduardo Camavinga will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup for the league game against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Real Madrid will aim to keep pace with Barcelona atop La Liga when they welcome Girona to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon. Carlo Ancelotti has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Jude Bellingham serves a suspension after seeing red in the league game against Osasuna last weekend. The English international will miss the next two La Liga matches. However, Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba are fit and in the matchday squad to take on Girona this weekend.
So, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are the only players on the sidelines due to their long-term knee injuries. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti discussed Bellingham’s suspension. The Italian tactician also addressed questions on Federico Valverde getting some rest this weekend.
The Real Madrid manager said, “We have to respect the decision. That said, the club will appeal in an attempt to cut down on the number of games he’ll miss. Someone else will play tomorrow. We’ve been capable of picking up good results without Bellingham and we can do that tomorrow as well.”
Discussing whether Valverde will get some rest, Ancelotti said, “It’s not impossible. He’s been playing because he’s in good shape. The minute he has any issues or needs a rest, he’ll be on the bench. I’m not ruling out giving him a rest tomorrow.”
Thibaut Courtois is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Real Madrid lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Girona on Sunday. The backline should feature Lucas Vazquez, Raul Asencio, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy, with Vazquez replacing the rested Valverde.
As for the midfield unit, Eduardo Camavinga will likely replace Bellingham, who will not be available to take on Girona. The French international will accompany Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos in the middle of the park. Finally, the offensive trifecta will remain unchanged, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo retaining their spots in the attack.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Ceballos; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
