JAKARTA Karim Benzema has a very small chance of being able to strengthen Real Madrid in a derby match against Atletico Madrid this weekend.
Madrid will play the sixth week of the 2022/2023 Spanish La Liga against their city rivals at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Monday, September 17 in the morning WIB.
Los Blancos coach Carlo Ancelotti said that Karim Benzema was ready to play in that match if he could train well on Sunday.
"We will not risk anything. If he trains well on Saturday [Sunday Indonesian time, ed], he will be involved on Sunday [Monday Indonesian time, ed]," Ancelotti said.
The French national team striker had a thigh problem when El Real fought Celtic on the first matchday of the European Champions League group stage last week. Since then he has not trained with the team until last Thursday.
Without Benzema's strength in the derbi match, it was clear that the crushing blow for the defending La Liga champion. Moreover, Eden Hazard and Rodrygo have not been sure as a substitute for Benzema in the last two matches.
"Our game plan will not be different with him [Benzema]. We don't want opponents to use their speed in counter-attacks. We have to see if he can train or not in the coming days," said the Italian tactician.
Madrid may just not be strengthened by Benzema and Lucaz Vazquez. In the rival camp, coach Deigo Simeone has a list of more injured players.
There are at least five names that are not fit for the derby later. Sergio Reguilon, Thomas Lemar, Jan Oblak, Stefan Savic, and Jose Maria Gimenez, are highly doubtful to be on line-up for that important match.
Currently Madrid are still at the top of the standings with a collection of 15 points from five matches. Meanwhile, Atletico is in seventh place with a difference of five points from their rivals.
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