Everything indicates that Real Madrid will be able to count on these two players in the Madrid derby this Sunday, which will add more solidity to the merengue side in its search for 3 points and to avoid falling further behind FC Barcelona.
Real Madrid continues to battle considerably with injuries. Now it is Thibaut Courtois who will be sidelined for a while, complicating the white-clad team's aspirations for the LaLiga or Champions titles.
However, not everything is bad for the white-clad team. Ahead of one of the most important duels of the season, Alvaro Arbeloa aims to recover a couple of injured players before facing Atletico Madrid.
Despite the loss of his starting goalkeeper, Real Madrid will have reinforcements for the Madrid Derby. Alvaro Carreras and Raul Asencio will be the first on the list to return; additionally, one of his great figures is also on his way to being ready to play in the match against the colchonero side.
The Galician full-back has already returned to the team squad; in fact, he was on the bench at the Etihad against Manchester City, although he did not play any minutes. He has missed the last four games, while Asencio was absent in the three most recent due to a muscle overload in his right leg.
As for Bellingham, the midfielder completed part of the training with the group. Although he is not ruled out for Sunday's squad, his inclusion in the starting eleven seems premature after more than six weeks of inactivity.
As for the confirmed absences for Sunday, there is the aforementioned Courtois, along with Rodrygo, Mendy, Ceballos, and Militao. The Brazilian center-back is also close to his reappearance, scheduled for after the next international break.
The merengue side can no longer afford to let more points slip away in LaLiga. They are currently four units behind Barcelona, which leads the way, so losing or drawing against the colchoneros could cost them the title, especially with only nine games remaining in the season.
The return of these players could be key to overcoming Atletico Madrid, a team that has been marching at a good pace recently, winning four of their last five league outings to keep pace with the top.
For Arbeloa, integrating returning players without disrupting the team's rhythm presents a tactical challenge, but the depth added by Carreras, Asencio, and potentially Bellingham could prove decisive in a match where small details often determine the outcome.
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