Karim Benzema remains a massive doubt to face Celtic after sitting out as Real Madrid slumped to a home draw with lowly Girona yesterday.
Toni Kroos was also sent off for the first time in his career on a miserable night for Real against a side sitting level on points with second bottom Cadiz. Ballon d’Or winner Benzema missed a third game in a row as the La Liga leaders dropped two points after Vinicius Junior’s 70th minute opener was cancelled out by a Cristhian Stuani penalty.
Kroos picked up a second yellow card in the first minute of injury time to add to their woes and despite over 10 minutes of stoppage time there was to be no winner for Carlo Ancelotti’s men. Ancelotti revealed Benzema, who has hit 329 goals in 616 appearances for the Galacticos, still wasn’t feeling 100 per cent despite being passed fit ahead of kick off.
The 34-year-old was missing from the Galacticos’ Group F defeat to RB Leipzig on Tuesday and also the 3-1 La Liga victory over Sevilla three days before that. Now he’s a major doubt for Wednesday’s blockbuster at the Bernabeu with Madrid requiring a victory against Ange Postecoglou 's team to guarantee qualifying in top spot.
Ancelotti said: “We did tests and it all went well, so he doesn’t have a problem, but he doesn’t feel comfortable yet. We need to keep in mind the player’s feeling. He still doesn’t feel 100 per cent.”
France legend Benzema only lasted 30 minutes of the 3-0 group opener at Parkhead last month before hobbling off with a knee injury. Better news for Ancelotti came in the shape of Luka Modric, Fede Valverde and Rodrygo who all started the Bernabeu draw while Mariano Diaz and Dani Ceballos were among the substitutes.
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