Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will have to make changes to his attack when it forms part of … [+] a side that will take on Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
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Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will have to make changes to his attack when it forms part of a side that will face Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappe was just starting to find his feet with fantastic strikes against Girona and Atalanta in his last two matches.
Just 35 minutes into the latter fixture midweek in the Champions League, however, the Frenchman asked to be brought off and then had a thigh injury confirmed which will keep him away from Vallecas and possibly the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18.
“Mbappe isn’t anything very serious,” Ancelotti insisted at his prematch press conference on Friday afternoon.
“He won’t be there for the match [tomorrow], [but] he’ll travel to Qatar and see if he can play part of the [Intercontinental Cup] without risk.”
There’s been a lot of negativity surrounding last season’s treble winners this term. Yet thanks to FC Barcelona blowing a six-point lead at the top of the table, Madrid can once again rise to the top of the pack by a single point through a win at Rayo’s expense.
Because of this, Ancelotti said he’s “more optimistic” than he was before and he also relished a game in hand over Valencia on January 3 which comes at a “difficult moment”.
“The commitment and attitude of everyone, the individual quality… It was a complete game [against Atalanta] and it gives us optimism for the future, for the next games, starting tomorrow. On Wednesday we have a very important match, but first we have to play a good game tomorrow,” Ancelotti demanded.
As said, Mbappe’s injury means that Ancelotti has to ring changes in attack. Though both Brazilians are back to full fitness, he’ll not field Vinicius Jr. on the left and Rodrygo in Mbappe’s central striker position.
Instead, Arda Guler is a surprise choice teaming up with Rodrygo in a 4-4-2.
In midfield, it is a quartet of Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz.
Aurelien Tchoumanei was expected to return to the center of the park as breakthrough star Raul Asencio made a comeback in defense.
Yet the academy product is again snubbed for Tchouameni to team up with Toni Rudiger, and the center back pair are flanked by Lucas Vazquez and Fran Garcia on the right and left attempting to protect Thibaut Courtois’ goal.
Real Madrid Starting XI Vs. Rayo Vallecano: Courteous; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Fran; Bellingham, Modric, Valverde, Brahim; Guler, Rodrygo
