Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed on Monday that his French striker Karim Benzema will start Tuesday in the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, in preparation for Sunday’s “El Clasico” match against Barcelona.
Benzema will lead the Royal Club’s front row in Tuesday’s match in the fourth round of Group G in the Polish capital Warsaw, where Shakhtar will play their home games due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Benzema missed Real’s 1-0 victory in the local league on Saturday against Getafe, having participated in two games after recovering from a thigh injury.
Ancelotti has decided to let Benzema rest for what awaits the Royal Club this week, if he will be in the Champions League, where he will qualify for the final price if he wins his fourth consecutive victory, or in the local league at the weekend against his rival and mate in the lead, Barcelona.
Ancelotti is going to rest his other Brazilian striker, Vinicius Junior, in the game on Tuesday, he hinted saying: “Fini is one of the players I have to evaluate because he played in all the games. He played on Saturday night, then we traveled today. (in Warsaw). We have to assess the situation. “
“Karim is in good shape,” he said. We are pretty sure that he will start against Shakhtar. He will play, like the (German Toni) Kroos, (French Ferland) Mendy, who have also resumed the activity and will play ”.
Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will once again be key in Real’s three rounds against his country’s representative in continental competition, but Ancelotti reassured that Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is recovering from a sciatica injury and could return to the club. El Clasico match against Barcelona.
