Official: Real Madrid squad list to face Atletico Madrid | La Liga MD 29 | OneFootball

Real Madrid have officially announced their squad for a high-stakes La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid, with the match set to take place at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu later tonight.

Heading into the derby, Alvaro Arbeloa has had to deal with a mix of setbacks and timely returns, creating a squad that reflects both challenges and opportunities.

The most notable absence is that of Thibaut Courtois, who has been ruled out due to injury. 

In his absence, Real Madrid will rely on a trio of goalkeepers, namely, Andriy Lunin, Fran Gonzalez, and Sergio Mestre, to cover the position.

However, Courtois is not the only player missing. Real Madrid will be without as many as five key figures for this encounter. 

Alongside the Belgian shot-stopper, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, and Dani Ceballos are all unavailable, significantly impacting squad depth.

Despite these setbacks, there is encouraging news for Real Madrid fans. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham have both been declared fit and ready for the clash. 

Arbeloa confirmed in his pre-match press conference that both players are available, with Mbappe expected to get minutes, and possibly even start, after building confidence in the recent victory over Manchester City.

Bellingham’s situation is slightly different, as he is still working his way back to peak rhythm, but his availability remains a major boost for the team.

There is also positive news regarding Alvaro Carreras, who has now fully recovered after a longer-than-expected injury spell. 

On the other hand, Raul Asencio has once again missed out, indicating that he is not yet fully fit to rejoin the squad.

As has often been the case this season, Real Madrid have also turned to their academy to fill gaps. 

Young players such as Diego Aguado, Manuel Angel, and Thiago Pitarch have been included in the squad. 

Among them, Pitarch is the most likely to feature prominently, underlining the growing trust in youth.

Meanwhile, Franco Mastantuono returns to La Liga contention, a development that has resulted in no place for Dani Yanez in the squad this time around.