The first defeat of the season, on Tuesday in Leipzig in the Champions League, has not affected Carlo Ancelotti too much, who seemed very calm this Saturday morning at the press conference prior to Girona's visit to the Bernabeu tomorrow . The concern of the Italian coach is not being able to count on Benzema, who will be absent for the third consecutive game.
To this is added the doubt of Rodrygo Goes, who had a bad night due to indisposition and it is not known if he will be available. Rodrygo had been the one who had occupied the position of nine in the last absences of Benzema. Without him, the options are Asensio, Hazard and Mariano, three players who have not convinced Ancelotti too much so far.
Ancelotti justified his withdrawal from the last Ballon d'Or as follows: "He trained yesterday and he wasn't comfortable. We must take his feelings into account. The clinic is positive, but he isn't 100%".
Rodrygo's is a stomach ailment that has kept him vomiting all night. He has gone to Valdebebas to be seen by the medical staff and to hydrate himself. He is not ruled out for the match against Girona, but his presence is very doubtful because Ancelotti only wants top players. On the positive side, Madrid recovers against Girona players like Modric, Valverde and Mariano, absent against Leipzig due to different physical problems.
Asked Ancelotti if he believes that Barcelona's elimination from the Champions League could take its toll on the Barça team, the coach commented: "I don't know if elimination will affect them. What I am very clear about is that they will be our rival until the end to fight for the League until the end. There are times in a season when there are good times and bad times, you have casualties...".
Courtois' criticism after Madrid's defeat in Leipzig (he said there was a lack of attitude) was also the object of analysis by the Real Madrid coach: "We have evaluated what happened. It was not a problem of attitude, but of positioning Set pieces, where we tend to be more forceful. From there, to think about these games until the break to get the best out of it and get there as well as possible".
And he continued: "All my players want to play and be available. I don't see mental casualties. This team always shows its face and never gives up, and I think the same thing will happen in these four games that remain before the World Cup break".
Ancelotti ruled out signings in the winter market: "We are not thinking about the winter market, we are not interested in that market. This is the squad that will continue until the end of the season. It will not change".
The coach warned of the difficulties of the match against Girona: "Girona plays well, they have a good offensive disposition because they organize themselves well. I think it's not nonsense to say that we have to defend well because they handle the ball well," he said.
