Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has provided an update on star forward Karim Benzema and first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ fitness ahead of their upcoming La Liga clash against Getafe.
Benzema, 34, has recently recovered from a muscle injury sustained during Los Blancos’ 3-0 UEFA Champions League group stage win over Celtic on September 6. Since returning, he has started two back-to-back matches against Osasuna and Shakhtar Donetsk this month.
However, the 2022 Ballon d’Or front-runner missed training on Friday (October 7) and is set to be rested against Getafe, as per MARCA.
Earlier during a pre-match press conference, Ancelotti shared his thoughts on Benzema’s condition. He told reporters (via Managing Madrid):
“He has played 90 minutes in two matches in a row. He might be rested tomorrow, but he’s not yet ruled out for tomorrow. He was the key to last season’s success and can be the key again. I think we’ll see the same Karim as always. I’m not worried about his form.”
Benzema has netted four goals in eight matches this season.
Courtois, on the other hand, has missed Real Madrid’s last two matches due to a back problem.
The 30-year-old has also been left out of the squad for this weekend’s clash with Getafe. Furthermore, he is set to be ruled out for the trip to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday (October 11).
Shedding light on Courtois’ situation, Ancelotti said:
“With his issue, taking the flight to Warsaw might not be the best thing for him. I think he’ll certainly be there for the Clasico, but we need to have a good think about whether he should make the Champions League trip.”
Speaking about Getafe, he added:
“We remember the struggles we had in this fixture last season. Getafe haven’t started so well, but they have been a solid team for a while and they always play with intensity and good organisation. They don’t give you much space. It’s not easy to win there, but we’re confident.”
Real Madrid are currently second in the 2022-23 La Liga standings with 19 points from seven games. The club are next scheduled to face Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Saturday (October 8).
Real Madrid in race with Manchester United to sign Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix – Reports
According to Fichajes, Real Madrid are set to rival Manchester United in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix. Carlo Ancelotti is a big admirer of the Portuguese and the La Liga giants are expected to make a move at the end of the ongoing 2022-23 season.
Felix, 22, joined Atletico Madrid from Benfica for a whopping fee of €126 million in the summer of 2019. He has scored 29 goals and contributed 18 assists in 121 appearances for Los Rojiblancos.
