<!-- google_ad_section_start -->
Real Madrid welcome back their busy international stars after a
hectic week of World Cup qualifying play-offs and friendlies and
the news has not been good for coach, Manuel Pellegrini as he
prepares his men to welcome Racing Santander to the Santiago
Bernabeu.
Key midfielder, Lassana Diarra has failed to make the list after
returning from France’s controversial World Cup qualification with
a right adductor strain. But Raul Albiol has surprisingly been
included despite sustaining what looked like a serious knee injury
in Spain’s friendly win over Austria just three days ago.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been forced to withdraw from the convoy
again as he nurses a calf muscle ailment while for the umpteenth
game in succession, Guti has been left out, albeit due to bruising
in his left quadriceps. Sergio Ramos in ineligible following his
straight red card against Atletico Madrid a fortnight ago.
The big news, however, centres on Cristiano Ronaldo. The
Portuguese has made a near-full recovery from his long-term ankle
injury and has resumed normal training with the rest of his
team-mates, but Pellegrini has opted to leave him out for this
game.
The Chilean will thus have the following 18 men at his
disposal:
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek
Defenders: Arbeloa, Albiol, Garay, Metzelder,
Pepe, Marcelo
Midfielders: Mahamadou Diarra, Gago, Kaka, Xabi
Alonso, Van der Vaart, Granero, Drenthe
Forwards: Raul, Benzema, Higuain
We ask you to leave your choices in the comments feature below
using hyphens to separate positions, working from right to left.
For example, here is the side that could line up in a 4-4-2
formation:
Casillas – Arbeloa, Pepe, Garay, Marcelo – Higuain, Xabi Alonso,
Diarra, Kaka – Raul, Benzema
Hala Madrid!