Real Madrid handed blow as superstar duo ruled out of Club World Cup semi-final against Al Ahly
Real Madrid have been handed an injury blow as superstars Karim Benzema and Thibaut Courtois won't be available for the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Egyptian side Al-Ahly on February 8.
Apart from the duo, Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy are also out of the clash. None of the five players have traveled to Morocco with the team to take part in the tournament.
Benzema and Militao suffered leg injuries and were substituted during Los Blancos' La Liga clash against Valencia on February 2. The duo, however, could be available for a potential final.
Benzema is subbed off after an apparent injury against Valencia. https://t.co/uuVQyMp6um
The same goes for the situation with Courtois. The custodian suffered a groin injury during the warm-up for the recent La Liga clash against Mallorca. Andriy Lunin filled in for the towering Belgian as Carlo Ancelotti's side succumbed to a defeat. The Ukrainian is set to retain his spot against Al-Ahly.
Vazquez and Mendy, meanwhile, are expected to be sidelined for a longer period of time.
Real Madrid head into the Club World Cup as the European champions. Their recent form, however, has been concerning, with only two wins in their last five league games. After the defeat to Mallorca, Los Blancos now trail Barcelona by eight points in the league table.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti speaks about the La Liga title race
After Real Madrid's shock defeat to Mallorca, Carlo Ancelotti was quizzed about whether the loss brought an end to his team's charge for the La Liga title. The defending Spanish champions currently have 45 points on the board.
The Italian manager replied by saying (via Madrid Universal):
“It’s a defeat that hurts a lot in this sense, but it was the game we expected. We prepared for a tough, difficult match, with a lot of fouls and interruptions. The small details determined the match. The early goal and the missed penalty really affected us."
He further added:
“The match wasn’t bad, in my opinion, but it was an atypical match, with a lot of interruptions. Now we have to think about the Club World Cup, where we are very excited.”
The Club World Cup break might be a welcome one for Los Blancos and could potentially help them rejuvenate their domestic form.
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Real Madrid's La Liga form this season ♨️➡️🧊 https://t.co/FQUgl93zdF