REAL MADRID
Possible Real Madrid lineup against Real Betis in LaLiga
The fixture in Seville is one in which Carlo Ancelotti will be able to count on several players returning to action.
Real Madrid visit Betis in LaLiga on Saturday with the added necessity of winning to put pressure on Barcelona and Girona, third and second respectively in the table. The fixture at the Benito Villamarín is a game in which Carlo Ancelotti will be able to count on several players returning to action.
Madrid have seven absentees at the time of writing: Dani Carvajal, Eduardo Camavinga, Vinícius, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Éder Militao and Thibaut Courtois. That’s almost a third of the squad, but for this weekend’s clash, they have Kepa back in goal and Luka Modric back in the middle. The Basque keeper was on the bench against Granada, but Ancelotti preferred to give Lunin the nod after his good performances. However, in Seville, Kepa is expected to return to the starting lineup, as Lunin is set to play in Berlin against Union in the Champions League in midweek.
How Ancelotti could set Madrid up
In defence, the recent absence of Carvajal will see Lucas Vázquez start at right-back, with Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba in the centre of defence and Ferland Mendy at left-back. Nacho and Fran García will remain on the bench, as both are also certain to start in Berlin. And in midfield, Modric will return to the starting eleven on the right side of the engine room, with Jude Bellingham in the same position on the left and the double pivot formed by Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde.
In attack, Brahim Díaz will be in the starting lineup alongside Rodrygo, who is also in a rich vein of form.
Madrid’s likely XI against Betis
Kepa; Lucas Vázquez, Rüdiger, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Valverde, Kroos, Bellingham; Brahim, Rodrygo.