Las Palmas vs Real Madrid: Carlo Ancelotti will make two changes to his Real Madrid starting line up when Los Blancos face Las Palmas away in La Liga on Thursday night.
“We have a lot of resources and the idea is to make a lot of changes. When the Champions League starts, the calendar will be tight. You can count on that,” Ancelotti stated.
“The idea is not to make many changes until the first [international] break, but then, when the Champions League starts and the calendar tightens, we will start thinking about rotations,” he also added at another point of his presser.
The Italian boss anticipates tough challenge from their hosts.
“La Liga, at the moment, is showing very competitive matches in every way. With intensity, despite the heat, and it being the beginning [of the season].
“Tomorrow will be intense… and open, because Las Palmas likes to play football, to have the ball and they will want to do it,” he predicted.
The champions are 6th on the La Liga standings with four points from a possible six so far.
Thibaut Courtois is expected to be in between the sticks as usual, but Lucas Vazquez comes in at right back for Dani Carvajal.
After sitting out his suspension for a late, reckless red card at Mallorca, Ferland Mendy returns from his one-game suspension after his sending off in the 3-0 victory against Real Valladolid to start at left back while the central defensive pair of Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao keep their places with Ancelotti full of superlatives for the former Porto man.
“He has returned to his best version,” Ancelotti said about the Brazilian. “Showing continuity, solidity and understanding with Rudiger.”
“His long pass is very precise and that will help us a lot, because the strikers we have are very fast. It’s time to adapt to playing more vertically, something that is a matter of time.”
In midfield, and in front of pivot Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde is very likely to play alongside captain Luka Modric who comes in for Arda Guler with Jude Bellingham still out injured.
In attack, it is the same trident of Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo.
Real Madrid predicted starting line-up vs Las Palmas:
GK Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy; Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Luka Modric; Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior.
Meanwhile Hansi Flick’s Barcelona made it three victories from three to stay firmly at the top of the rankings with 9 points after new signing Dani Olmo came off the bench to steer home an 82nd-minute winner for Barca Danat Rayo Vallecano.
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