Ancelloti-Benzema To Make Real Return In Valencia Clash

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema
will be in their squad to face Valencia in La Liga
on Saturday but may not be fit to start, coach
Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday.
Real's injury worries are starting to ease with
Benzema following Gareth Bale back into the
squad, as Ancelotti's side continue their pursuit
of Barcelona at the top of the table.
Benzema has missed Real's last six matches
since suffering a knee problem in mid-April
while Bale started his first game in the 2-1
Champions League defeat by Juventus on
Tuesday after a spell on the sidelines.
The team, however, are still without injured
midfielder Luka Modric, whose ability to link-up
with the forwards has been badly missed.
"Benzema is available and feeling strong but he
is not 100 percent," Ancelotti, whose side trail
Barcelona by two points, told a news
conference.
"Tomorrow I will decide whether he starts or he
is on the bench".
Despite the mood of crisis that descended on
the Bernabeu due to the number of absentees,
the team was coping well until their Champions
League first leg defeat by Juventus.
They are still confident, however, of turning the
tie around in the return leg in Spain.
Ancelotti was heavily criticised for Real's
performance in Turin and for playing centre
back Sergio Ramos in midfield where he
struggled.
They need to bounce back in a difficult game
against fourth-placed Valencia, who are
fighting for a Champions League spot, and
Ancelotti has not ruled out playing Ramos in
midfield again.
"I have not decided who will play in the middle
of the pitch and I will make a decision on the
day," said the Italian coach.
Ancelotti pointed out that Ramos had played
their effectively in other matches.
"Ramos has my confidence and he is capable
of playing in a lot of different positions. I wasn't
afraid to play him there against Atletico and
Sevilla," Ancelotti added.
"He has played well there but he didn't do well
the other day," he said.
"The team is fine mentally and we are treating
the game now against Valencia as a final. After
that we will start thinking about the return leg
against Juventus, there is no way I will rest
anybody."