Real Madrid will be gunning to bounce back to winning ways when they host RCD Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday afternoon.

Los Blancos head into the game on the back of a disappointing run that has seen them fail to win any of their previous three matches, which includes a loss to Barcelona in Copa del Rey.

With a crucial week up ahead with matches against Liverpool and Barça, it becomes important for the reigning champions of Spain to get a win tomorrow and build some momentum.

Ahead of the contest against the Catalan outfit, manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media and provided an update on the fitness of Karim Benzema and discussed the links to Kylian Mbappe, among other things.

On preparations for the upcoming matches: “We worked in a way we don’t usually do. We’ve done tactics, offensive work that we haven’t been good at…. We’re fine, ready for tomorrow and to stop Liverpool and Barcelona.”

On the Negreira scandal: “It is a very complicated subject. I prefer to talk about other things that are more important to us.”

On Karim Benzema: “He’s had a knock on his ankle, it’s swollen, he won’t be able to play tomorrow and he trained individually today. He will be available for Wednesday’s game [vs Liverpool].”

On the game against Espanyol: “It’s an important moment because we want to arrive at Camp Nou with a good feeling, winning tomorrow and progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals.”

On Benzema’s issues affecting the team: “It’s inevitable that it will affect us, he is very important to us. Last season he scored a lot of goals. He has not reached that level and it has affected us. In the second half of the season, he has been important and he is going to be more important. We are confident that he will help us.”

On who will replace Benzema: “Rodrygo is going to be the centre-forward.”

On Benzema’s future: “I’m clear about what will happen to Benzema next year, but I’m not a magician.”

On Eduardo Camavinga’s role: “I see Camavinga as an inside player and in an emergency, he can play as a left-back.”

On whether Alvaro Rodriguez is ready to start: “Yes, he has no experience, but no one has it when something starts. He has the quality to play from the start, yes.”

On whether he wants to sign Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid: “You can ask me that question today, in three months, in two weeks… it’s a question I’ll never answer.”

On Rodrygo’s best position: “Rodrygo has to play where the team needs him. Sometimes it’s better to put his quality on the wings, sometimes he’s better between lines. It depends. He’s very good, that’s what he has to take advantage of.”

On the importance of defence: “The defensive aspect is a collective commitment. Now they are pressing higher, they are more solid and it gives us confidence because the quality is there, even if there are times when you can’t see it or when the strikers fail. The basis of defensive work, with this quality, is very important.”

On Espanyol: “It is a team that is fighting for something, they have a spectacular motivation, I expect a solid match, with few spaces, they have Joselu who is very dangerous in the aerial game.”

On whether the recent poor form reminds him of 2015: “I don’t have to go back so far, it happens every year when there is a moment a little more difficult than usual, the criticism comes. Last year after Barcelona and at Everton. It’s my job.”

On Ferland Mendy: “Ferland Mendy has recovered. He will train with the team on Sunday and be available against Liverpool.”

Source: Real Madrid Twitter