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Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid‘s El Clasico conflict with Barcelona on Sunday (stream LIVE at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.) with a calf harm.
The ahead — who was harm after scoring twice in Madrid’s 3-Zero win at Mallorca on Monday — was unable to coach together with his teammates on Saturday, of their final session earlier than the high-profile fixture.
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Benzema, 34, is LaLiga’s prime scorer with 22 targets, in addition to offering 11 assists, and his absence is a blow for Madrid as they appear to shut in on the title.
“We by no means take dangers,” coach Carlo Ancelotti stated in a information convention on Saturday. “Tomorrow [Benzema] cannot play as a result of he hasn’t skilled, he feels some discomfort. It is a small harm… [Gareth Bale] is likely one of the alternate options. We now have Mariano [Diaz], we now have [Luka] Jovic, I’ve performed Isco and Rodrygo there too. There are numerous choices.”
“Karim is 34 years outdated, it may possibly occur,” he added. “It does not fear me, we now have two weeks now to work with him. We now have time to get him prepared for the top of the season, and he’ll come again and make the distinction like at all times.”
Madrid go into El Clasico prime of the desk, 15 factors forward of Barcelona, and have received their previous 5 video games in all competitions.
Nonetheless, Barca’s kind has additionally considerably improved below coach Xavi — after a rocky begin to the season with predecessor Ronald Koeman — and haven’t misplaced in LaLiga since December.
“The id of [Barcelona] will not change, it by no means does,” Ancelotti stated. “They’ve a transparent type of play. Xavi is doing properly. The workforce has improved so much they usually’re in good kind proper now… We’ll should play an all-round recreation: defend properly, press properly, play properly with the ball, deliver it out from the again, be direct. A whole recreation.”
The final time the 2 sides met, in January’s Spanish Supercopa semifinals, Madrid received 3-2 after further time.
Madrid may even be with out left-back Ferland Mendy, who picked up a hamstring harm in opposition to Mallorca, though winger Rodrygo, who needed to be carried off throughout the identical recreation, skilled on Saturday and is anticipated to be out there.
Madrid’s confidence was buoyed by their dramatic 3-1 comeback win in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain of their Champions League round-of-16 second leg final week, by which Benzema scored a 17-minute hat trick.
Friday’s Champions League quarterfinal draw noticed them paired with Chelsea within the quarterfinals, earlier than a attainable semifinal in opposition to both Manchester City or Atletico Madrid.
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