Just a few hours after Barcelona finished their match against Betis (2-2), Real Madrid will begin playing their match against Girona in Montilivi. A stadium that has seen the whites fall (4-2 in the 2022-23 season) and win overwhelmingly (1-4 on the second day of the 2018-19 season or the same last season, with an unappealable 0-3 ). On this occasion, Both teams are coming off bad results. The locals were knocked out of the Copa del Rey after losing on penalties to Logroñés, while the whites, who could have been within reach of Barcelona, succumbed to Athletic in San Mamés (2-1) in an early League match due to the celebration of the Super Cup next January.
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With hardly any touch-ups, Carlo Ancelotti gave his usual pre-match press conference. The Italian coach wanted to take pressure off his players: “The truth is that the fact is that we have not been able to bring out our best version so far. But I have a very good relationship with my group, with the team, with my players. We have the same thought: bring out our best version as soon as possible.” In addition, he valued Girona (“Girona is doing well. We have to take it as an opportunity.” The return of Vinicius also advanced for next Tuesday's match against Atalanta, and that of Alaba, who was injured on December 17 against Villarreal and who, almost a year later, has joined training with the group. The Austrian is expected like rain, above all, to have a better ball delivery than Rüdiger and Asencio are having, although in the case of the latter we must assess the fit he has had since Militao's injury in the match against Osasuna: five games played, with two goals conceded (against Liverpool at Anfield) and both against Athletic: with him, Madrid has won when it comes to getting the ball played.
For this meeting, The Italian coach had called up 21 players, among whom were Chema and Gonzalo, who played yesterday against Murcia in Murcia. However, both have fallen at the last minute (they accumulated many minutes in Murcia with the reserve team) as well as Rodrygowho has a muscle problem in his left thigh.
Thus, the whites' call was like this:
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin and Sergio Mestre.
Defenses: Lucas Vázquez, Vallejo, Fran García, Rüdiger, Mendy and Asencio.
Midfielders: Bellingham, Valverde, Modric, Tchouameni, Arda Güler and Ceballos.
Fronts: Mbappé, Endrick, Brahim and Yáñez.
Sin Vinicius nor Rodrygo, Mbappé He will once again be the reference in attack and his companion up top will be Brahim, which is expected after knowing that Rodrygo was not going to be able to play. Endrick will have to continue waiting for his opportunity. And the surprise has come in the defense when the eleven is known: Asencio goes to the bench and Tchouameni comes out of the midfield, but not from the eleven; He will play central, along with Rüdiger. There is also a change on the left side: starting Mendy and Fran García on the bench.
In the center of the field, more movements: Valverde will be the midfielder, surely forming a double pivot with Modric and with Güler and Bellingham as interiors. The Croatian was a substitute against Athletic in a surprising way, but he returns to the starting team, like the Turk, on another occasion to show that he deserves more. And in attack, as mentioned: Mbappé and Brahim.
Thus, Real Madrid's eleven is as follows: Courtois; Lucas Vázquez, Tchouameni, Rüdiger, Mendy; Güler, Modric, Valverde, Bellingham; Brahim and Mbappé. Lunin, Mestre, Asencio, Vallejo, Fran García, Ceballos, Yáñez and Endrick will wait on the bench.
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