Real Madrid travel to Galicia to face Celta Vigo on Saturday night in the club’s first game back from the October international break.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have not been entirely flawless this season, struggling to find the necessary balance following the summer arrival of Kylian Mbappé and the retirement of Toni Kroos. However, after a two-week hiatus from club football, Ancelotti warned: “We feel really good.”
Here’s the line-up the trophy-laden manager could field to ensure his team builds on that positive atmosphere.
GK: Thibaut Courtois – The confident striker is in line to make his first start since getting the nod bombarded by missiles at the Metropolitano of Atlético de Madrid. The Celta de Vigo fans will probably be a little kinder.
RB: Lucas Vázquez – Madrid’s only senior replacement for the injured Dani Carvajal, the 33-year-old is a short-term solution before his contract expires in June.
CB: Eder Militao – When a young Militao showed up at the soccer school where his father worked as a coach, he heard his father say, “I really don’t know if he can play.” Turns out it wasn’t too shabby.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – When asked if he was bothered by accusations of being crazy, Rudiger shrugged: “No, because I’m a little bit crazy.”
LB: Ferland Mendy – The French full-back hasn’t registered a single assist for more than two years. In that time, he has collected nine yellow cards and one red.
CM: Federico Valverde – Ancelottithe star student The tough Uruguayan international is expected to maintain his record as the only Madrid player to start every league game this season.
CM: Edward Camavinga – Real Madrid’s fearsome French midfielder made his debut for the club against Celta Vigo in 2021, marking the occasion with a goal. Camavinga has scored just once more in his subsequent 146 appearances for Madrid.
CM: Jude Bellingham – “I wouldn’t play for a club I didn’t really fall in love with,” Bellingham has said in the past. The affection is mutual.
RW: Rodrygo – Despite being a first-team regular with starts, Rodrygo isn’t entirely satisfied with his role. “A lot of times, I’m just filling in spaces,” he sighed earlier this season. “Is there anyone missing there? Put Rodrygo in. Is there anyone missing on the right? Rodrygo. Is there anyone missing as a number 9? Rodrygo. That’s it.”
ST: Kylian Mbappe – When Mbappe went to the French academy Clairefontaine as a 13-year-old, he earned the nickname “Hazelnut” because of the shape of his shaved head. So far, that nickname hasn’t carried over into his senior career.
LW: Vinicius Junior – A back problem prevented Vinicius from making the 10,000 mile round trip brazil during the last week, which allowed him to “do some hard and intense days of work and rest” in the words of Ancelotti.
