José Mourinho has announced the Real Madrid squad for this Sunday’s trip to Santander, where the team face Racing. One of the most positive pieces of news is the return of Éder Militão, who had been sidelined with an injury.
The absence of Federico Valverde remains a heavy blow for the Madrid side. The Uruguayan has still not fully recovered from the injury he suffered in the Clásico against Barcelona.
Who plays at right-back
At Saturday’s press conference, Mourinho confirmed that Valverde will not be available for this match. In his absence, Denzel Dumfries is expected to take the right-back spot.
The Dutchman has already performed well and has played more minutes than Trent Alexander-Arnold under the Portuguese coach. However, neither of them has yet secured a regular place in the starting XI.
Courtois and Lunin in goal
Another question mark is whether Thibaut Courtois will start against Racing. The Belgian goalkeeper returns to the squad after missing the Barcelona match with flu.
On the other hand, Andriy Lunin earned praise from Mourinho for his display in the Clásico, and the manager admitted he has not yet given the Ukrainian the game time he deserves. If Courtois is on the bench, Lunin could get another chance to show his worth, either in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The squad
Besides Militão, the squad includes other important players for this match. Alongside the Brazilian defender, the defensive group features Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Álvaro Carreras, Rüdiger and Dumfries.
In midfield are Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Bernardo and Thiago. The forward line is made up of Endrick, Mbappé, Espi, Brahim Dias and Yan Diomande.
With this squad, Mourinho is looking to secure a crucial win to keep the team competitive on the various fronts they are fighting on. Militão’s return is a welcome boost to the defence, where the manager regards him as a key figure.
The match against Racing is not only a chance to pick up points, but also to build the form of players who have been sidelined.
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