Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid squad list to face Granada | La Liga
Real Madrid will be aiming to strengthen their grip atop the La Liga table when they play hosts to Granada at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening.
Building up to the game, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has released the squad list of players that he will have at his disposal for the encounter against Granada.
The big news coming through is that Kepa Arrizabalaga is fit again and back in the squad after missing the last four matches through a muscle problem.
Even though the Chelsea loanee is back, Ancelotti confirmed in his presser that Andriy Lunin will continue in goal against Granada.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham has also been included in the squad list, with Ancelotti allaying all fears regarding an injury for the Englishman after he did not complete today’s training session.
Castilla talents Nico Paz, Theo Zidane, Mario Martin, and Gonzalo Garcia all get called up once again by Ancelotti while Luka Modric remains absent.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados para el partido 🆚 @GranadaCF! #RealMadridGranada pic.twitter.com/wd0FOXoMa6
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) December 1, 2023
Real Madrid News
Rayo Vallecano manager names the one Real Madrid figure he would remove from the team
Rayo Vallecano face a daunting trip to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on a wounded Real Madrid this weekend.
Life after Inigo Perez has not been kind to the Vallecas-based club, who have already had to travel to Camp Nou and now face a trip to the home of their city giants.
Speaking ahead of the game (h/t Madrid Xtra), Rayo Vallecano manager Benat San Jose was asked which Real Madrid player he would like to remove from the team before this weekend’s game.
Surprisingly, his choice was not Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior or Thibaut Courtois.
“Mourinho”
Asked which Madrid player he would take out of the upcoming contest, Benat jokingly chose the man sitting on the opposition bench.
“Which Real Madrid player I’d remove from the match against them? Mourinho,” Benat said with a laugh.
The answer might have been delivered jokingly, but the Rayo coach immediately made clear just how highly he rates the Portuguese manager.
“He’s one of the best managers in history,” he added.
It is significant praise ahead of Saturday’s meeting at the Bernabeu.
Madrid’s squad contains enough individual quality to give any opposition coach several obvious answers, but Benat instead highlighted the influence Mourinho can have over the entire team.
That has become particularly relevant since the Portuguese coach returned to Madrid. His early work has focused on making a talented group function with greater collective discipline.
Courtois and Madrid’s attack also praised
Benat did not stop with the manager.
“They also have one of the best GKs in history and one of the best attackers in history,” he said.
Benat will definitely have seen how Thibaut Courtois played against Inter Milan in midweek and will hope that version does not turn up again this weekend.
Even when teams manage to create opportunities against Madrid, they still have to beat one of the defining goalkeepers of his generation.
At the opposite end, Madrid possess attacking quality capable of turning a match on its head.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham can all decide matches single-handedly.
Madrid have a point to prove
Madrid are coming off a disappointing loss to Real Betis in La Liga last weekend and will come into this game with a point to prove.
They will want to ensure that the loss to the Andalusian club was a one-off and that they return to winning ways against Rayo.
Their title rivals, Barça, have been flying high in the league, scoring goals and picking opponents apart for fun.
Madrid need to ensure that they do not hand too much early incentive to Barça, and it remains to be seen how Los Blancos fare against Rayo Vallecano.
