Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make five changes to his side when it faces Villarreal … [+] away in La Liga on Saturday.
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Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make five changes to his side when it faces Villarreal away in La Liga on Saturday.
Los Blancos are coming into the fixture at the Estadio de la Ceramica off the back of 120 gruelling minutes in the Champions League against crosstown foe Atletico Madrid midweek.
Madrid lost 1-0 in the last 16 second leg at the Metropolitano, which forced extra time and penalties because of them having won 2-1 themselves in the Bernabeu a week before.
Madrid prevailed 4-2 on penalties, and Ancelotti lamented the short recovery time his men have had to then go straight into another difficult tie in the league with the chance to pip FC Barcelona at the top on the pile.
At a prematch press conference on Friday, Ancelotti said that his men were “recovering”.
“Obviously very little time has passed and not everyone is recovered yet, but tomorrow we will be better. This is an aspect to take into account to prepare well for the match, against an opponent that has always been complicated, difficult and that is good. We will have to play an intelligent match to win,” the Italian explained.
“I don’t understand, but we can’t do anything,” Ancelotti said when asked about the schedule.
“It’s time to travel and play at that time. But I don’t understand it. I think that the minimum should be 72 hours of recovery. But… This is the calendar that exists… and hopefully one day it can be changed.”
Going into this one then, a Thibaut Courtois who blasted Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid for playing the victim starts in goal.
The full backs are Fran Garcia and Lucas Vazquez, with David Alaba replacing Toni Rudiger to partner Raul Asencio.
Eduardo Camavinga comes in for captain Luka Modric to form a double pivot with an improved Aurelien Tchouameni, while Jude Bellingham is a more advanced CAM.
Rodrygo doesn’t lose his place to Brahim Diaz entirely, because the Moroccan international replaces Vinicius Jr. meaning the Brazilian is on the left.
As always, Kylian Mbappe is the lone number 9 up front.
Real Madrid Starting XI Vs. Villarreal: Courtois; Garcia, Alaba, Asencio, Vazquez; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Brahim; Mbappe
