Carlo Ancelotti confirms the loss of Karim Benzema… and has already chosen the replacement

Real Madrid’s victory against Mallorca will take its toll on the whites. In Son Moix, 3 merengue players, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo and Karim Benzema were injured. The two French soccer players will miss the Clásico, while it is expected that the Brazilian will be able to participate in the match against FC Barcelona.

With Chelsea on the horizon, a victory against the Catalans would definitively sentence LaLiga, while a victory for Xavi’s men could reopen the race, being able to put themselves 9 points behind the Madrid team, who will have to travel to Sánchez Pizjuán and Wanda Metropolitano to face Sevilla and Atlético de Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti takes the floor

happiness of the fans: “If happiness is at the end of the game, yes. Seriousness is key, of course. A Clásico demands a lot, it’s a special game that will demand the best of us. We go with confidence”.

Casualties for the Classic: “Both he (Karim Benzema) and Mendy cannot play and they will not go to France either. They stay in Madrid.”

Would Benzema play if it was a final?: “Not risking, we have never risked. In Paris he did not risk, he played because he could. But not tomorrow, because he has not trained with the group. He still has some discomfort”.

tomorrow’s match: “One equal. Where we want to do better. It will be one with many facets, offensive, low block… We played against a very strong team and we have to play a complete game. We will have to press well, come out well from behind, do many things. If thinking that with only one thing we are going to win, we are wrong”.

Substitute for Benzema: “It’s already been decided who’s going to play. But I’m not going to tell you.”

Opinion about Xavi: “Barcelona’s identity hasn’t changed. It’s a team with a very clear style and Xavi embodies it perfectly. Barcelona has improved a lot, it’s in a good dynamic. My opinion is that it’s doing very well”.

Gareth Bale Option: “It’s one, like Mariano, Jovic, Asensio, Isco… There are many, but I’ve chosen the one I think is best for this match.”

Win without Benzema: “I think so. Karim is a very important part, because he completes all the work, but without him we have to keep up the work and look for different solutions.”

Concern with Benzema: “I’m not worried. He’s 34 years old and it can happen, but every time he’s come back he’s made a difference. And he’s had minor annoyances. In these two weeks he’ll recover and come back to be important, make a difference, in the final stretch of season”.

Real Madrid style in important matches: “One that embodies the characteristics of the players. That’s what all teams have to think about. If you have players capable of making a good possession, you can play that; if you have good defenders with your feet, you come from behind; but if you don’t For example, the long ball is a great option. I don’t rule anything out. From my experience, I’ve always tried to apply a team in which the players are comfortable, never forcing them to play in a way that they feel uncomfortable. For me, football is not just a style, you have to be able to play in various ways. And this squad has so much quality that it can do it”.

Relationship with the players: “I’m still on my honeymoon. I’m happy, happy; I feel respected by everyone. Inevitably, the players who don’t play suffer more, but my job is to make decisions that affect the players. All my players are very professional.”

Nacho: “He is a player with a lot of balance in his character. He knows perfectly what his role is in the squad. It doesn’t affect him whether he plays or not, he maintains that balance, and that allows him to have a very high level of professionalism no matter how many minutes he has Or even if he plays as a center back or a winger.”

Happy with Hazard and Bale?: “Yes. Obviously players at this level want more prominence. If they haven’t had it, it’s because I have chosen other players based on a professional issue. But they have never missed a training session. Nothing.”

Clásico at the Bernabéu after two years: “The last time was unforgettable. We all have in our hearts what happened that time. Our fans and we will want to repeat it. It can be done”.

Charge of minutes with Benzema: “Assessing his future is a task that we will have to do, but this season he has played fair. His absence has not affected, because he is still top scorer in the First Division. When he was injured, he has taken advantage of it to come back better and make a difference. I think he has had injuries in the right period, now, for example, he is not going to go to France and when he returns he will be fresher.”