Real Madrid missing four players for clash with Celta Vigo

Real Madrid will be without the services of four players for Sunday's La Liga clash with Celta Vigo.

Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba remain unavailable for selection due to ACL injuries.

Alaba will not feature for Los Blancos until the 2024-25 campaign, but both Courtois and Militao have made excellent progress in their recoveries, which started in August, and the pair could return next month.

Real Madrid have no fresh injury problems, but Jude Bellingham will also be absent on Sunday, as the midfielder is suspended due to the red card that he was handed against Valencia last weekend.

Los Blancos were unsuccessful in their attempts to appeal the ban, which has been set at two games, so the team's leading goalscorer this season, as it stands, will also miss out against Osasuna next weekend.

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"We appealed because we thought the sanction was exaggerated. It was not an insult," Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters during his press conference on Saturday.

"I hope they did not take the player's licence plate because he protests like everyone else or even in a less exaggerated way than others. We still think that the sanction is not correct."

Real Madrid are currently top of the La Liga table, five points ahead of second-placed Barcelona, with the Catalan outfit recording a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Friday night.

"Now we all have a lot at stake. We are more involved than ever and a different attitude and intensity is needed. We didn't do well in the last game and tomorrow we need to show another different side," Ancelotti added.

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"Girona's game was the best game of the season, then we lowered the level a little and it made us think about how to do better.

"To say that we are very worried, no. We evaluated things critically, trying to improve. It was missing attitude and intensity against [RB] Leipzig.

"Against Leipzig, it was a psychological aspect. We have always had a great defensive attitude. In the tie against them, we did not have a single minute in danger in the tie.

"There may be changes tomorrow, yes. I have to bring a little freshness. Without Bellingham, on a defensive level not much changes, but there will be less presence in the area."

Brahim Diaz is expected to be the player to benefit from Bellingham's absence, while Luka Modric is also being tipped to earn a start in the middle of midfield on Sunday.

Real Madrid squad vs. Celta Vigo:

Lunin, Kepa, Pineiro; Carvajal, Nacho, Vazquez, F Garcia, Rudiger, Mendy; Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Guler; Vinicius, Rodrygo, Joselu, Brahim