Real Madrid will lose a star player and win when they host Athletic Club at the Bernabeu in La Liga on Sunday night.
Thanks to an extra yellow card at Osasuna, Vinicius Jr. will not play in the match.
“There’s one thing that worries me a lot about Vinicius: that he probably won’t be able to play tomorrow. That’s what worries me,” Ancelotti said sternly.
However, while the Italian has lost his most productive winger, the Brazilian, he will welcome Jude Bellingham after the Englishman ended his own suspension for a red card at Mestalla against Valencia.
Although Athletic Club will have to think about the Copa del Rey decision, Ancelotti is not taking them for granted and expects Valverde’s men to work at full throttle at a time when Barcelona have reduced the Whites’ lead to five points at the top.
“Athletic have a week to prepare for the final and I think tomorrow they will play in the most productive way, because the goal of the Champions League is also very important for them.
“We don’t think they’re thinking about playing for the final, but about coming to the Bernabeu and looking to pick up points,” Ancelotti said.
Although he confirmed that Eder Militao will be in the squad after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament on matchday one of the season in the first meeting between the two teams, Ancelotti will not place him in the starting eleven.
That means Nacho pairs Antonio Rudiger in central defence, while Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy, the right-backs and left-backs, also assist in Andriy Lunin’s goal.
In midfield, Aurélien Tchouameni is the pivot Toni Kroos.
Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde are further forward and will be looking to nurture a duo of Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo.
Real Madrid Premier XI Contre. Club Athletics: Lunin; Mendy, Rúdiger, Nacho, Carvajal; Tchouameni, Kroos, Bellingham, Valverde; Rodrygo, Brahim