February 03, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, has cast doubt on injury-hit defender Antonio Rüdiger’s availability for Sunday’s crucial La Liga match against city rivals Atlético Madrid.
The 30-year-old German international was substituted early in Los Blancos’ 2-0 victory, over Getafe on Thursday, after sustaining a muscle strain. Speaking on Saturday, Ancelotti stated Rüdiger “has improved a lot in the last few days” but a late decision would be made on whether he can feature.
If Rüdiger does not recover in time, Ancelotti has ‘confidence’ in backup options Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal. Camavinga was singled out for his quick ball distribution and strong tackling abilities. Real will also miss suspended defensive midfielder, Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Ancelotti declined to respond to Barcelona president, Joan Laporta’s prior referee allegations, stating: “I don’t want to go down to a level that is not for professionals.”
League leaders Real are 10 points clear of third-placed Atlético ahead of the derby. However, the Spanish giants will be aiming to avenge September’s 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
