Real Madrid missing four players for Atletico Madrid clash

Real Madrid will be missing Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni for Sunday’s Madrid derby, but Antonio Rudiger is named in the squad.

Real Madrid will be without the services of four first-team players for Sunday’s Madrid derby with Atletico Madrid, but Antonio Rudiger has been named in the squad.
Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba remain long-term absentees with ACL injuries, while there had been huge doubt over the availability of Rudiger when he picked up a thigh injury during Thursday’s La Liga clash with Getafe.

The Germany international suffered the issue in the first half of the match, and he was unable to train alongside his teammates on Saturday morning.

However, head coach Carlo Ancelotti said during his press conference that Rudiger had “improved a lot”, and a decision on whether he will start will be made on Sunday.

“Rudiger has improved a lot. We expect the same improvement between today and tomorrow. We will evaluate him tomorrow and make a decision. It is a blow, it is not that huge, but we have to see it tomorrow. He will be in the squad,” Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday.

With Militao and Alaba both out, Aurelien Tchouameni is the cover at centre-back, but the midfielder is the fourth player to be absent for Real Madrid in the Madrid derby, as the France international is suspended due to the yellow card that he picked up in the latter stages of the clash with Getafe.

Should Rudiger fail a late fitness test, Dani Carvajal is expected to start alongside Nacho in the middle of the defence, with Lucas Vazquez coming in at right-back.

Ancelotti will make changes from the side that started against Getafe, with Eduardo Camavinga, Rodrygo and Toni Kroos potentially coming into the XI.

“How important will Kroos be tomorrow? He’s very important, obviously, but that doesn’t mean that the rest are not,” said the manager when questioned on his team selection.

“[Luka] Modric played a spectacular game at Getafe and Kroos wasn’t there. That shows the strength of this squad. We have many qualities and very different.

“It is another important match, the third time we face each other in a short time. They have always been competitive, matched, spectacular.

“Tomorrow will be the same. The game is important… that it’s good to go back to the Bernabeu. They will help us tomorrow.

“It will be important, but not decisive (the next week of league action). Winning before the Champions League will be key and what’s coming is very, very important. We arrived in the best way we could and we must take advantage of the home factor.”

Real Madrid will follow the Madrid derby with a home game against Girona next Saturday ahead of a trip to Germany for the first leg of their last-16 Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.

Real Madrid squad vs. Atletico Madrid:

Lunin, Kepa, Pineiro; Carvajal, Nacho, Vazquez, F Garcia, Rudiger, Mendy; Bellingham, Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Valverde, Ceballos, Guler; Vinicius, Rodrygo, Joselu, Brahim

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