Real Madrid Preparations for their top-of-the-table clash with Girona on Saturday continue without a recognized centre-back, which will no doubt worry Carlo Ancelotti. However, the picture is perhaps not as bleak as it seems.
Nacho Fernandez is the latest victim, as he missed training with a muscle strain. Instead of working out in the gym, AS Diary say that it is a doubt for the Girona party. He was also joined by Vinicius Junior, who left early after a quick training session, apparently showing no improvement from his spinal injury that kept him out against Atletico Madrid.
🇩🇪 Today, at Real Madrid there is optimism with Rüdiger before Saturday.
— Sergio Quirante (@SQuirante) February 7, 2024
There is little news about his potential return, but there is optimism Antonio Rudiger. The German defender missed the Atletico draw due to a bruised thigh, but has been training individually on the grass, and looks likely to play against the Catalan side.
He will also have a more natural partner in Dani Carvajal for that match, should he recover, as Aurelien Tchouameni will be back from suspension. Ancelotti has used him in central defense on several occasions to varying effect. For the derby clash, Ancelotti did not call up the Castilla players to cover their absences, but on paper and form, a partnership of Rudiger and Tchouameni looks much stronger in the middle of Nacho and Carvajal now.
