Real Madrid Vs. Real Betis Line Up: Ancelotti Makes Eight Changes

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make up to eight changes to his side when it faces Real … [+] Betis in La Liga on Saturday evening in Spain.

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Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make up to eight changes to his side when it faces Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday evening in Spain.

Los Blancos will take to the pitch at the Estadio Benito Villamarin with the chance to go three points clear of bitter rival and league leader FC Barcelona, which plays against Real Sociedad in Montjuic around 22 hours later.

There is of course one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg tie against another title race foe in Atletico Madrid.

At his prematch press conference on Friday, however, Ancelotti insisted his men won’t be distracted nor will he rest some key stars.

“They are three vital points for the league. We will take the best team without thinking about Tuesday’s game,” the Italian stated.

Ancelotti did of course make a series of rotations in Anoeta last time out, with a 1-0 advantage in the Copa del Rey semifinals for the second leg next month against La Real achieved through an early Endrick strike.

Unfortunately there were casualties though, with Dani Ceballos picking up a knock that will sideline him for up to two months, while Fede Valverde will not be available in Seville – as Ancelotti confirmed – after missing back-to-back training sessions.

The first big change is Thibaut Courtois reclaiming his goalkeeper’s spot from Andriy Lunin, while Ferland Mendy comes in for Fran Garcia at left back.

With a Raul Asencio who received death threats in the Basque region dropped, David Alaba has finally attained match-starting fitness to partner Toni Rudiger as a center back while Lucas Vazquez is the right back.

Captain Luka Modric forms a double pivot Aurelien Tchouameni, in the first match since Ceballos was ruled out.