Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed on Monday that his French striker Karim Benzema will start Tuesday’s match between Spanish champions Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine in the Champions League.
Benzema will lead the front line of the Royal Club in the match scheduled for Tuesday in the fourth round of Group F competitions in the Polish capital Warsaw, where Shakhtar will play its home matches due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Benzema missed Real’s 1-0 win in the local league on Getafe, following participating in two matches following recovering from a thigh injury.
Ancelotti decided to rest Benzema because of what awaits the royal club this week, if he is in the Champions League, where he will qualify for the final price if he wins his fourth successive victory, or in the local league at the end of the week once morest his rival and partner in the lead, Barcelona.
Ancelotti is heading to rest his other Brazilian striker, Vinicius Junior, in Tuesday’s match, he hinted, saying, “Fini is one of the players that I have to evaluate because he played in all the matches. Played on Saturday evening, then we traveled today (to Warsaw). We have to assess the situation.”
He continued, “Karim is in a good position. We’re pretty sure he’ll start tomorrow’s match. He will play, like German Toni Kroos, French Ferland Mendy, who have also regained their activity and will play.”
Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will be key once more among the three stages of Real once morest his country’s representative in the continental competition, but Ancelotti assured that Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is recovering from a sciatica injury and may return in the “El Clasico” match once morest Barcelona.
Ancelotti talked regarding his Ukrainian goalkeeper, saying, “Andrey is shy. Not the kind of person who likes to talk a lot. Naturally, everything that goes on in Ukraine affects him, it affects everyone in Ukraine.”
“All we can do is offer him our solidarity. If he needs anything, we are here to help him.”
