Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti announced the absence of French striker Karim Benzema from facing Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish League, tomorrow, Monday
Ancelotti said in the match press conference: “Benzema will not play, he does not play because he cannot. His absence allowed us to take advantage of the quality of players like Vinicius, Rodrygo and Valverde. But we will need him after the World Cup
He added: “The Rayo team is playing very well, they are very strong at home, it will be difficult, we have to give our best
He continued, “Asensio can play in two different positions, he mixes well with Fede Valverde, and this is good for the future
He continued by talking about Hazard: “He has a lot of competition for his position, there are people who deserve to play more, the competition is good for the team
On Pique’s retirement, Ancelotti said: “He was one of the strongest defenders I’ve ever seen, he decided to stop and it’s not easy to say you do, he made a strong decision in his life
He continued by talking about Rodrygo Goes and comparing him with the phenomenon Ronaldo: “If he reaches this level, we have to make a statue of Rodrygo, Ronaldo was not lucky enough to have the moment that Rodrygo enjoys in the Madrid team now
Regarding the Champions League draw, he said: “It will certainly be a difficult competitor. We can play against Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Milan and Inter. The competitors are very strong. What matters to us is the Rayo match, not the draw
