Real Madrid and city rivals, Atletico Madrid will be clashing again in the Copa del Rey round of 16 after meeting just a week ago in the Supercopa de Espana, Bet Extract reports.
In their most recent match, Real Madrid emerged victorious, defeating Atletico 5-3 in extra time at their Super Cup semifinal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With a hat-trick by Vinicius Junior in the first half, Carlo Ancelotti’s team defeated Barcelona 4-1 in the championship match to win the trophy.
Even though Real Madrid has been playing fantastically this season, this is their only loss across all competitions as they were defeated by Atletico. That encounter, which took place at the Wanda Metropolitano like Thursday’s cup clash, ended with Diego Simeone’s team winning 3-1.
Simeone will be content with his choices going into the derby because there aren’t any significant new injury concerns. However, Reinildo, the defender who is presently travelling with Mozambique for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, would undoubtedly be absent.
Pablo Barrios, who hasn’t played since late November, is also questionable for the Real Madrid match. However, he might participate. Long-term absentees include Marcos Paulo, Vitolo, and Thomas Lemar.
Even though Aurelien Tchouameni missed a recent training session due to a slight injury, Ancelotti has not had any serious concerns since the Supercopa de Espana final. The Frenchman may not be risked against Atletico but is likely available for the trip across Madrid.
The three players who are still sidelined for the foreseeable future due to ACL injuries are Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Thibaut Courtois. These absences represent some significant losses for the Italian coach’s team.
With Real Madrid’s success in the Supercopa de Espana, Ancelotti would be inclined to rotate, but Lucas Vazquez is also sidelined due to a thigh issue.