Real Madrid visits Deportivo Alavés this Thursday in Mendizorroza (9:30 p.m.). Ancelotti, who has insisted that there is no news about his future with the white club, wants to “finish the year well.” To do this, he will seek to “get the three points” in his last commitment of 2023 with the aim of fighting for a league title. which continues to lead Girona with 44 points.
The Madrid squad is counting on Alaba to be sidelined for the match in Vitoria, after breaking his cruciate ligament last Sunday against Villarreal. An injury that will keep him away from the playing fields for the remainder of the season and that could force the meringues to reinforce their defense in the next transfer period.
“We have spoken with the club and we will evaluate it in the coming days. We have time to do it because the January market ends on the 31st and we will look for the best possible solution. We will try to finish tomorrow’s game well and then we have all the time necessary to make the best possible decision,” he stressed about the hypothetical arrival of a replacement for the former Bayern Munich footballer.
The Madrid team will also not have Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal in defense against the ‘Glorioso’. The Frenchman only completed the first half against the ‘yellow submarine’ due to a muscle injury, while the Spaniard will not be under the command of ‘Carletto’ due to a soleus injury. The return of the Leganés winger suggests that it will be in January against Mallorca, in the merengues’ first game in 2024.
Lucas Vázquez, Nacho, Rüdiger and Fran García are the only ones available at the back for the white coach on the occasion of matchday 18 of the league. “It is a very complicated time of the season and fortunately I have to thank the players who are making it through,” the Italian coach analyzed the injuries.
The possibility of Tchouaméni playing as a center back this Thursday is not ruled out, just as he did against Osasuna: “He is convinced that if there is an emergency, he will play there; but his future at Real Madrid is as a pivot,” he clarified about the Frenchman’s position. Ancelotti has fewer doubts in goal.
“Tomorrow Kepa is going to play and in the second part of the season I will choose one,” said ‘Carletto’, who revealed that after the Christmas break he will decide who will be the starting goalkeeper. “They are both doing very well and we are very happy. Lunin has made a lot of progress, he has shown confidence and Kepa has maintained his level.”
At the national level, Ancelotti has been “curious” about the agreement between the League and the RFEF to publish the images and audio of the conversations between the field referee and the VAR, in the review of the plays. “I don’t care what they talk about during the game. For 2024, I wish them all the best and that they make as few mistakes as possible, or less than in 2023.”
On the other hand, the Madrid coach also wanted to assess who will be his rival in the Champions League round of 16, RB Leipzig. A team “that competes and fights” and “is doing well in the German championship.” “In the group stage they won 0-2 at Manchester City and they have very good qualities,” he said of Marco Rose’s team.
Regarding the ruling of the European justice on the Super League this Thursday, he commented that “we are all waiting for this decision that could be important for European football.” “Then we will see what can happen,” he added. Finally, he has also spoken about Endrick that he will arrive at Real Madrid in July 2024, a date by which the player will already be of age.
Article 19 of the FIFA Regulations prevents international transfers of footballers under 18 years of age with some exceptions. Hence it is explained that the signing of the Pearl of Palmeiras for the white team cannot be carried out until the following summer.
“I am delighted with him. The experience that the young people who have left Brazil have had, with Vinícius and Rodrygo, is what he wants to have too,” Ancelotti said about the forward.
