Real Madrid will receive double fitness boost for Champions League clash vs RB Leipzig

Real Madrid’s central defence this season is cursed. There is no other explanation for the sheer number of setbacks Carlo Ancelotti has had to deal with this season right from Eder Militao’s ACL injury on match day 1.

Antonio Rudiger, Nacho Fernandez and David Alaba did well to fill the void in the first half of the season but have themselves become injury-prone in 2024. As it stands, Real Madrid are probably facing their biggest defensive crisis in recent years.

The title clash
As revealed yesterday, the men in white have no fit centre-backs for the upcoming clash against Girona.

The game is all-important as it sees the two league leaders face off against each other, but Ancelotti will have to do so without any central defenders available.

Rudiger has not recovered from the thigh injury he suffered against Getafe while Nacho suffered a blow himself in training earlier this week.. Needless to say, the alarm bells in Madrid are ringing.

According to reports from Cadena SER, Rudiger and Nacho will both be available for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg game against RB Leipzig on the 13th of February.

The clash against Girona, thus, is the sole hurdle that the manager must pass before he recovers resources.

The alternate plan
When Rudiger was unable to start against Atletico Madrid last weekend, Ancelotti deployed Dani Carvajal in central defence in what proved to be a masterstroke.

The Spanish defender outperformed Nacho on the night, dishing out a clinical performance.

Carvajal, thus will start once again in central defence against Michel’s men. This time, he is likely to be partnered with Aurelien Tchouameni in the position with Ferland Mendy starting at left-back. Lucas Vazquez at right-back will round up the defence.