Double Boost For Real Madrid Ahead Of Champions League Game vs Monaco
Alvaro Arbeloa is getting used to the schedule as a senior head coach, with another mid-week game. It's his third competition in three games as Real Madrid face Monaco in the Champions League on January 20.
It's a big game for Los Blancos, not just in terms of the competiiton. During the game against Levante, the fans voiced their opinions by whistling players and chanting towards the president, Florentino Perez.
The head coach has had a boost ahead of the game against the French side. Two players who have been out with an injury in the last game are back training again.
Andriy Lunin and in-form player back in training
According to journalist Melchor Ruiz of COPE, both goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and forward Rodrygo are back in training ahead of the game against Monaco.
The Ukrainian stopper missed the game against Levante with a calf injury sustained during the Copa del Rey loss to Albacete. He will be back on the bench as a backup to first-choice Thibaut Courtois.
MORE: Real Madrid vs Monaco Preview: Start Time, Team News, How To Watch, Live Stream & Odds
The big news is the return of Rodrygo. The Brazilian was in fantastic form before picking up an injury in the Spanish Super Cup final. It ruled him out of both the Albacete and Levante games. He is now back in contention for Monaco, but with Villarreal at the weekend and Los Blancos only a point behind Barcelona in the league, he may start on the bench.
Since breaking back into the starting lineup after plenty of time on the bench, the forward has been in hot form. Rodrygo started six consecutive games before the injury, scoring three times and assisting four. His form has changed the results in the Spanish Cup Final.
As mentioned, the La Liga game on the weekend feels more important. The 25-year-old could start on the bench, and if the game is not going in the direction Arbeloa wants, he could make an appearance.
The head coach will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy. Antonio Rudiger is still a doubt, with a decision likely to be made on matchday morning, which is January 20.
Despite the Villarreal game feeling more important, a positive result will be needed. The team will not want to feel the wrath of the fans as they did against Levante.
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Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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