The preparations at Valdebebas Sports City continue ahead of the fourth and final El Clásico of the season. Real Madrid’s players are training under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, in a busy week filled with sporting events, as they gear up for the much-anticipated clash with Barcelona at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
Ancelotti is aiming to field his best players in his tactical plans for this crucial match, which seems difficult to achieve given the six absences currently affecting the Real Madrid squad. Although the number of absences may not seem large, their impact is significant, considering the importance of the injured players.
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The defense has been hit hardest by injuries, with Ancelotti missing key players such as Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, and Éder Militao— all of whom are important pillars of the team. Additionally, David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga are also sidelined, forcing the Italian coach to adjust his tactical options.
Among the absent players, only David Alaba (No. 4) and Camavinga (No. 6) are not considered regular first-choice options at the moment. Ancelotti has frequently relied on players like Raúl Asensio, Aurélien Tchouameni, Militao, and Rüdiger in central defense when available. The same applies to Camavinga, who has lost his spot to Tchouameni, alongside other key players like Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham. Camavinga has only featured in his preferred position when Tchouameni was shifted to defense due to a lack of other options.
Despite the varying injury issues, Ancelotti is concerned about each absence as he prepares for El Clásico. The recent defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals raised many questions about the mental and physical state of Hansi Flick’s team, but Ancelotti refuses to leave anything to chance.
This concern is further emphasized by Real Madrid’s performance in the second half of the Copa del Rey final, when the team managed to turn the game around despite an early mistake by Thibaut Courtois. Ancelotti aims to replicate that strong performance as the team continues preparing for the rest of the season, eagerly anticipating a match that could prove crucial in determining the outcome of La Liga.
