Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said he will struggle to choose the best playing system to accommodate the players available to him before facing his host Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the middle of the Covit-19 explosion.
Luka Modric, Rodrygo, Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Andre Lunin were all infected with the virus last week, and on Monday Isco was the latest confirmed case.
Ancelotti cannot count on two key players in the Bilbao match, injured defender Danny Carvajal and suspended midfielder Casimiro.
“We are losing a lot of players and we have to change the way we play,” Ancelotti told a news conference on Tuesday. “I do not know, I’m just thinking about it.
“The way we play now (4-3-3) has helped us a lot in past games, but we will play without the right wing, which may force me to change the plan to 4. -4-2. I’ll wait to evaluate things tonight.” Real Madrid’s ten-match winning streak in all competitions was interrupted by a disappointing draw at home to Cadiz, who struggled without goals on Sunday.
Despite this setback, Real Madrid are still comfortably in first place, six points behind second-placed Sevilla.
Real Madrid were morally inspired by the appearance of Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard in good form on Sunday in their first match since September.
“Hazard has been training well for a month and has regained his strength and rhythm,” Ancelotti said. “I don’t think he will have any more physical problems if he is used on Wednesday. The player is in good condition.”
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