Ancelotti Drops Hints for Real Madrid’s El Clasico Lineup

Following Real Madrid’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Braga, several clues have emerged regarding Carlo Ancelotti’s potential starting XI for the upcoming El Clasico this Saturday afternoon. However, the Los Blancos manager faces significant selection challenges due to several key players’ absences and the need for rotation.

Eder Militao, Thibaut Courtois, Dani Ceballos, Arda Guler, and Joselu Mato have all been unavailable for various reasons, leaving Ancelotti with important decisions to make for the highly-anticipated clash against Barcelona.

Despite the rotations against Braga, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Toni Kroos are expected to secure starting positions in the El Clasico lineup. Mendy faces competition from Fran Garcia and Eduardo Camavinga for his spot, while Kroos, who has not been a consistent starter this season, is likely to feature. Alaba’s inclusion was always on the cards, with Ancelotti seemingly opting not to overexert him in the previous match.

The absence of Joselu, coupled with Rodrygo’s impressive performance and goal against Braga, could influence Ancelotti’s decision. While Joselu’s fitness remains a concern, Ancelotti may have a more straightforward choice in benching the experienced Spanish striker, especially if Rodrygo continues to shine, despite Joselu’s superior goal tally so far this season.