Why is Asencio not playing for Real Madrid? Bellingham and Carreras in

Asencio will miss the derby. It is the only surprise in a squad list that contains more news, though most of it had been expected. Carreras returns, Bellingham is back in contention – though he is expected to start on the bench, piano piano – and Mbappé remains in the squad and will start. It is a 23-man list featuring three academy players: Diego Aguado, Thiago and Manuel Ángel. That becomes five if the two goalkeepers backing up Lunin are included: Fran González and Mestre, who was playing for Castilla yesterday. There are six absences. Five were expected. One was not: Asencio is out.

It is unexpected because the signs had been encouraging. Asencio had trained with the group for several days. He was not feeling 100%, but he had been improving. He has been dealing with tightness in his right leg since Balaídos. That is why he was on the bench against City and missed Elche and the Etihad. During that time, he worked flat out to try to speed up his recovery. But today, on the day the squad was announced, he tested himself at Valdebebas and the joint decision, together with the medical staff, was to be cautious. Playing tonight would carry a risk of relapse, and that is not something anyone wants to take on. End of story. He is expected to be fully fit after the international break.

Hey Jude

This is the other standout name on the squad list: after 49 days out, Bellingham is back. He has spent a month and a half recovering from a significant injury – a tear in the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg. In fact, the initial diagnosis was one month, but it has ended up being longer than that. Jude has also put together several training sessions with the group and has now been given the green light. His only issue is a lack of competitive rhythm. That is the factor shaping the decision: tonight, he is expected to begin on the bench. The question is whether he will get any minutes. After that, he will join England for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley.

Six absences

The medical report is now final: Courtois (tear in the rectus femoris of his right quadriceps), Militão (tear in the biceps femoris of his left leg, with involvement of the proximal tendon; he is expected back after the international break), Asencio (muscle tightness in his right leg), Mendy (tear in the biceps femoris of his right leg; he too will return after the break), Ceballos (tear in the soleus of his right leg) and Rodrygo (tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral meniscus in his right knee).

A 23-man squad

Arbeloa has called up three academy players to bolster the group: Diego Aguado, Thiago and Manuel Ángel. The expected names, since they were the ones who trained with the first team yesterday. There had been a chance that one more might be added at the last minute, but that did not happen. In total, there will be five academy players if the two goalkeepers are included: Fran González and Mestre. Extra depth for a squad containing 18 first-team players. And one late absence: Asencio.

Real Madrid squad for the derby

Goalkeepers: Lunin, Fran González, Mestre

Defenders: Trent, Carvajal, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Alaba, Carreras, Fran García, Diego Aguado

Midfielders: Tchouaméni, Valverde, Thiago, Güler, Camavinga, Bellingham, Manuel Ángel

Forwards: Mbappé, Vinícius, Brahim, Mastantuono, Gonzalo

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