It’s Derby time! Real Madrid will host Atletico Madrid in a new edition of one of the most heated rivalries in LaLiga. However, there are some key absences in ‘Los Blancos’ starting lineup, as Thibaut Courtois isn’t playing today. On top of that, names like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham aren’t starting either.
Per a Marca report, Alexander-Arnold was benched by manager Alvaro Arbeloa as a punishment for being late to a training session. Arbeloa wants discipline on the squad and now, this has sent TAA to the bench. Follow Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid live with us and catch all the action from the game!
As for Bellingham and Mbappe, they’re recovering from injuries and Arbeloa is limiting their playing time to not risk re-injuring them. Mbappe is managing a persistent left knee injury (ligament inflammation/sprain), while Bellingham is coming from a six-week absence due to a hamstring injury.
When was the last time Mbappe and Bellingham played?
Mbappe logged in some minutes mid-week in the Champions League during the game against Manchester City. He played around 20 minutes. It’s likely he will play around the same amount of minutes today.
As for Bellingham, this would be his first game since February 1st. Both Bellingham and Mbappe are crucial players for Real Madrid, but they’ll have to wait for their opportunity to play from the bench.
Alexander-Arnold’s situation is far more complicated
Alexander-Arnold is flat out facing a disciplinary action. His first season in Madrid has been quite underwhelming. Now, he is not starting a key game against bitter rivals Atletico, who will also deal with a huge absence of their own as Jan Oblak isn’t playing today either.
Arnold has struggled to stay healthy and, when playing, he’s been very inconsistent. In fact, Thomas Tuchel left him out of England’s squad for the upcoming friendlies, less than a 100 days from the World Cup.