Turn for Asensio. Carlo Ancelotti completes his gala eleven in the derby against Atlético with the Balearic. With Benzema back in the team after overcoming the physical problems that made him retire early against Real Sociedad and prevented him from playing against Inter, it only remained to define who would occupy the right flank of the attack, the last piece of the puzzle of Carletto this season. Asensio regains ownership after two games in which the Italian coach opted for Rodrygo.
Ancelotti keeps his idea unshakable. In the seven games that Real Madrid has played since the last national team break, the white coach has lined up seven players without interruption: Courtois, Alaba, Mendy, Vinicius and the trident of the center of the field: Casemiro, Kroos and Modric. Apart from them, Carvajal, Militao and Benzema have only rotated in one game.
Asensio has played three of them, against Granada, Sevilla and Athletic. The Spaniard is still the 15th most used player by Ancelotti (714 minutes spread over 18 games, seven of them as a starter), but he is gaining prominence in recent games. Y appears in the derby at a sweet moment after scoring 2-0 at Inter in the match with which Madrid closed the group stage last Tuesday.
La Liga Santander
* Data updated as of December 12, 2021
In summary, Real Madrid’s starting eleven for the derby against Atlético is made up of: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Asensio, Benzema and Vinicius. Of the 25 players he called up, Ancelotti has ruled out Toni Fuidias and Vallejo. The twelve substitutes who will be on the bench are: Lunin, Nacho, Hazard, Marcelo, Valverde, Jovic, Lucas, Bale, Rodrygo, Isco, Mariano and Camavinga.