Selection dilemma for Ancelotti against Espanyol ahead of City clash
BARCELONA: Carlo Anceloti has a decision to make when Espanyol comes to town on Saturday.
The Real Madrid coach can play his top players to have the best chance of wrapping up the Spanish League title, or he can focus on the Champions League semi-final decider against Manchester City on Wednesday.
Real need only one point from their remaining five matches to win a record-extending 35th league title, so Anceloti will be tempted to give his reserves a chance to shine while reducing the risk for an untimely injury to a key player.
The apparently easy-going Anceloti should know beter than anyone which choice is best. Ater all, the 62-year-old Italian is on the brink of becoming the only coach to win titles in Europe’s five major leagues. He guided AC Milan to the 2004
Serie A title, Chelsea to the 2010 Premier League title, Paris Saint-germain to the 2013 French title and Bayern Munich to the 2017 Bundesliga title.
And if Real can turn around their 4-3 loss at City when Pep Guardiola and his players visit Madrid, Anceloti will be one victory from a fourth European Cup title.
Villarreal, Spain’s other Champions League semifinalist, plays at Alavés on Saturday. With Villarreal in seventh place, coach Unai Emery will likely rest his top players ahead of hosting Liverpool on Tuesday trailing 2-0 ater the first leg.
Anceloti’s recipe for success this season has been sticking with his best players and maintaining a very short rotation. But with the title so close and City looming, this weekend looks like a perfect time to let 36-year-old Luka Modric and 34-yearold Karim Benzema take a break.
Benzema is having a Ballon d’or-caliber season. The France striker has 41 goals in 41 games overall. He leads the Spanish league with 25 goals, and has scored eight goals in the Champions League knockout rounds, including two at City on Tuesday. When he has not been on the field, Madrid has struggled. The team’s only league setback in 2022 was a 4-0 loss to Barcelona when Benzema was out with an injury.