For Real, it’s on to Saturday in Madrid’s Vallecas district at promoted Rayo. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has two absentees to contend with, but is positive about the overall situation.
Alaba and Bale will be missing for the Royals this weekend. Both players have a muscular strain. “They will return to training next week,” Real Madrid coach Ancelotti is quoted as saying on the Spaniards’ club website.
Without the Austrian and the Welshman, Real will be looking to complete the crunch task at Rayo. “It will be a tough game because Rayo are playing a very good season, especially at home. It will be a game that will demand a lot from us. The good thing is that we have trained properly and the team is ready,” Ancelotti is confident. Rayo are in third place in the home table, with only Real and Sevilla having taken more points in front of their home crowd.
After a rather difficult phase including the two draws against Elche and Villarreal, the cup exit in the Copa del Rey and the weak performance in the Champions League in Paris (0:1), the coach of the royals now sees his team back on the right track.
“I am optimistic. We didn’t have an optimal phase after the Supercup for many reasons. But now we can say that we are in a better shape. The game against Alaves left us with a good feeling, we showed a decent reaction. A win in Vallecas and against Real Sociedad would have a big meaning for our place in the league,” said Ancelotti ahead of the two upcoming games.
Real Madrid’s squad for the game at Rayo
Goal: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Luis Lopez.
Defensive: Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Jesus Vallejo, Nacho Fernandez, Marcelo, Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy
Midfield: Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Fede Valverde, Dani Ceballos, Isco, Eduardo Camavinga
Forwards: Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Luka Jovic, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Mariano Diaz
