Ancelotti will make huge rotations against a Second Division opponent.
Real Madrid will make their Copa del Rey debut on Monday against Deportiva Minera, a team from Murcia that plays in the Second RFEF Division, equivalent to the old Third Division.
The match will take place at the Cartagonova Stadium in Cartagena, on natural grass and in a venue with a decent capacity – factors that on paper should be in favor of Los Blancos.
Nevertheless, coach Carlo Ancelotti plans to take advantage of the difference in quality between the teams by rotating his players while fielding a squad capable of securing victory ahead of their trip to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup.
Who will play for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey?
Two key players, Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rüdiger, will not travel to Cartagena, because both have been rested. Andriy Lunin will start in goal, although Ancelotti refrained from naming the Ukrainian as the team's designated cup goalkeeper in a press conference. For the time being, however, he will take over the reins in this competition.
In defense, only Aurélien Tchouaméni is expected to keep his starting place from the recent match against Valencia. At right-back, Lucas Vázquez is likely to be rested, giving Castilla's Lorenzo Aguado the chance to make his debut. Alongside Aguado is Marvelous Asencio in central defense, who has already been integrated into the senior team. At left back, Ferland Mendy makes way for Fran García, who will score valuable minutes.
Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modrić start in midfield, after being substituted during the match in Mestalla. Both were crucial to Real Madrid's comeback going into the second half. They will be joined by Arda Güler, who will play as an attacking midfielder, a role he frequently fulfilled in Turkey.
This match coincides with Güler's one-year anniversary as a Real Madrid player, having made his debut in a Copa del Rey match against Arandina on January 6, 2024. Although Güler has recently recovered from a mild case of flu, he is expected to be available for Ancelotti.
In attack, Rodrygo will continue as starter, playing on the left wing – his preferred position, but one he rarely occupies due to the presence of Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé's tendency to drift to that side. This match offers the Brazilian a chance to redeem himself after an inconsistent performance at the Mestalla. On the right wing, Brahim Díaz will start after an impressive cameo in Valencia, where his contributions played a key role in securing the equalizer. Up front, Endrick finally gets the chance to start, something he hasn't done since October 2, when Real Madrid faced Lille.
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