With Jude Bellingham serving a two-match suspension, Ancelotti plans to rest Kylian Mbappé, giving Brahim Díaz the chance to lead the attack.
Ancelotti spoke about the squad rotation, acknowledging the suspension of Bellingham and stating, “We must respect the decision [on Bellingham’s suspension]. Someone else will play tomorrow. We’ve shown we can secure good results without Bellingham, and we can do that again tomorrow.”
The predicted lineup features Thibaut Courtois in goal; a defense consisting of Lucas Vázquez, Raúl Asencio, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy; a midfield trio of Luka Modrić, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Arda Güler; and an attacking front three of Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz, and Vinícius Júnior.
This formation compensates for the absence of key players while allowing Ancelotti to test new tactics, particularly by giving Arda Güler a chance to showcase his skills in midfield. The Turkish midfielder has impressed in training, and this match offers an opportunity to evaluate his performance in a competitive environment.
Real Madrid’s recent form has seen them drop points, allowing Barcelona to overtake them at the top of the table on goal difference. Ancelotti emphasized the need for consistency, saying, “We need to maintain the optimism needed, given the challenges we’ve faced so far.”
As Real Madrid prepares to face Girona, who have struggled with just one win in their last five matches, Ancelotti’s lineup adjustments aim to balance tactical needs with providing emerging players the opportunity to prove themselves.
