Real Madrid will be without Karim Benzema for Tuesday’s Champions League game at home to Schalke 04 but he should be fit for Sunday’s La Liga “Clasico” against Barcelona, Coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday (March 17).
France forward, Benzema took a knock to the thigh in a collision with team mate Cristiano Ronaldo in Saturday’s 1-0 La Liga win at Malaga and had to be replaced by Angel Di Maria in the 32nd minute.
“He (Karim Benzema) is doing well this year. Not only because he is scoring. He had a knock. We will wait to see if tomorrow he recovers. We are lucky to have the possibility, if he cannot play, to play another good player,” Ancelotti told a news conference ahead of Tuesday’s last 16, second leg, when Real will start with a 6-1 advantage from the first leg in Gelsenkirchen.
Ancelotti said he would be resting some of his regulars at the Bernabeu on Tuesday (March 18) and Alvaro Morata and Jese would start up front alongside competition top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, Benzema and Gareth Bale each scored twice in the first leg victory in Germany and Real are virtually assured of their place in the draw for the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition, which takes place on Friday.
With the ticket almost booked, Real look to focus on Sunday’s (March 23) league match against Barcelona.
Ancelotti said it was important to play a good match against the Germans to prepare for Barca’s visit.
“The best way to prepare Sunday’s game (against Barcelona) is to play a good match (against Schalke). It would give us confidence,” he said.
Ancelotti’s side are still alive in all three competitions they are contesting and have a three-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of the La Liga ahead of third-placed Barca’s visit to the Bernabeu.
After the good results in the last months, Ancelotti was asked if Real Madrid’s squad was the best he has ever had.
“This squad has a bit of everything. It has experience, it has youth, it has quality, it has personality. Perhaps it’s the most complete squad,” the Italian coach said.
A league win for Real would put them seven points clear of their arch rivals with nine games left and deal a huge blow to Barca’s chances of a fifth domestic league title in six years.
In form young striker, Jese Rodriguez said that they had to focus on their Champions League match to gain confidence ahead their league clash.
“It is a match that we must to play well and try to win. What we have in our minds is to win alongside our crowd so we can be well before the weekend’s league match,” he said.
The King’s Cup final in Valencia on April 16 is also between Spain’s big two, a repeat of the 2011 showpiece which Real won 1-0.
