Carlo Ancelotti Confident Real Madrid Can Fill the Void of Kylian Mbappe's Injury in the Derby

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed confidence that his team will still perform well in the absence of injured star signing Kylian Mbappe during Sunday's La Liga match against Atletico Madrid. Mbappe, who is sidelined for three weeks due to a hamstring injury, will not be available for the crucial clash. Despite the setback, Ancelotti remains optimistic about his team's chances against their rivals. Real Madrid currently sits in second place in the standings, trailing Barcelona by four points and leading Atletico by two. "Playing without Mbappe will have some impact, but we have a strong squad that is capable of stepping up in his absence," Ancelotti explained during a press conference on Saturday.

"We're used to playing without him because last year he wasn't here.

"It's a pity that he's not here but his absence we can cover for well."

Real Madrid still have plenty of attacking options including Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes and potential Ballon d'Or winner Vinicius Junior.

The Brazilian has burst into form in recent weeks and is set to lead the charge against Diego Simeone's side, though, some Atletico fans are threatening to knock him off his stride by racially abusing him.

This week a Mallorca fan was sentenced to a year in prison for abusing the forward and he has also suffered similar abuse on previous visits to Atletico's Metropolitano stadium.

On social media a group of Atletico supporters have launched a campaign this week encouraging fans to wear a face mask to the stadium, to be able to abuse Vinicius without detection.

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Ancelotti did not want to discuss the issue but insisted the match would be "an entertaining spectacle".

Real Madrid lost at Atletico in September 2023 and have not been beaten in 39 La Liga matches since.

"It's a difficult game, that's clear, but each match has its own story and we have a plan, let's see if it goes well," said Ancelotti.

"We have to avoid the mistakes of last year, that's quite obvious. What we've learned could serve us well for tomorrow's game."

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Ancelotti confirmed French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was fit to take part in the derby having recovered from an injury.

(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)