March 10, (THEWILL) – Karim Benzema is ruled out of Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Espanyol due to an ankle injury.
The Frenchman was not present during the team’s training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, as he worked on recovering from the injury. Benzema has missed seven games this season due to various fitness issues, and Real Madrid has decided not to take any risks with him in their push to retain the UEFA Champions League title.
Los Blancos are prioritising the UCL for the rest of the season, and they would rather keep Benzema out of the squad to ensure his fitness for the upcoming game against Liverpool. Benzema played a pivotal role in their 5-2 victory against the Reds earlier this month.
Although they have not given up on winning La Liga, the nine-point gap with Barcelona has seen them shift their focus to the UCL. In Benzema’s absence, Rodrygo is likely to take his place, but 18-year-old Alvaro Rodriguez could also be called up by Carlo Ancelotti. Rodriguez has contributed one goal and one assist in just 18 minutes of play across Real Madrid’s last three league games, and he could prove to be an exciting prospect for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid faces a crucial match against Barcelona on March 19, and they want to ensure Benzema is fit for that game as well.
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.
