The Laliga leaders are confronted with Leganés in the quarter -finals of the Copa del Rey, with Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé nowhere to be seen.
Before the end of 2024, Real Madrid achieved two of the seven trophies on which they had focused this season, although 2025 did not start as they had hoped. UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup are in the bag, but the Spanish Super Cup is no longer on the table. Los Blancos has made life difficult for itself in Laliga and the Champions League, and now Carlo Ancelotti has received a huge gamble in the Copa del Rey.
Real Madrid's weakened team against Leganés
On Wednesday (February 5), Madrid makes the short trip to Leganés in the quarterfinals of the Spanish cup, a competition in which Ancelotti has chosen to omit some of his big stars.
Although Vinicius JR was called on the couch, there was no sign of star duo Kylian Mbappé or Jude Bellingham in the MatchDay team. Moreover, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also been omitted, which contributes to the absences of wounded Quintet Antonio Rüdiger, Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, Eder Militão and Dani Carvajal.
Why today Mbappé and Bellingham play today against Leganés in the Copa del Rey?
Ancelotti has stated that Mbappé and Bellingham suffer from minor injuries and are therefore not risking. Courtois is also equipped for the Cup match, with a crucial Laliga Derby against Atlético Madrid on Saturday (February 8) in the Santiago Bernabéu.
After their controversial defeat against Espanyol last weekend, the Ancelotti team is now only one point free of their city rivals at the top of the LaLiga. Having three of his top stars who are looking for that top-of-the-table collision is considered more important than the Leganés Cup-equal game.
Madrid set for congestion
In addition, Madrid's debilitating run of luminaires will continue immediately after the derby because of their inability to finish in the top eight of the competition phase of the Champions League. They have to compete against Manchester City in a two-legged play-off (11 and 19 February), both sides of a league match against Osasuna, to ensure that they reach the round of 16.
In the coming weeks, a major influence can have a number of different competitions, and whether the season of Real Madrid is considered a successful or not. Ensuring that important players remain as fresh as possible, will be the key to Ancelotti, so it is expected that his injury-affected team will be turned further when the chance makes it possible.
Get your game on! Whether you have from NFL-Touchdowns, NBA-Zoemer-Beaters, football goals from World Class or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Comments