Real Madrid's squad list for Friday's La Liga clash has two big names missing.
Published not long after head coach Carlo Ancelotti's pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, Real Madrid's squad list for its upcoming clash with Real Sociedad missed two big names.
Ancelotti said that his men were "looking forward" to the trip to Anoeta when he sat down to address the media on the eve of the fixture.
"We are seven points away from mathematically having the league [title]. [It will be a] tough game, as always against La Real," he predicted.
With Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo not training with the rest of the team earlier that morning, Ancelotti was probed on this and said that both stars "will be able to travel" though Ferland Mendy "won't".
"I'd rather he stay than work, to be in good shape in the Champions League," the Italian said about his defender.
When Madrid's squad list was published, however, it didn't feature either Bellingham or Mendy's name.
Perhaps Ancelotti concealed the truth or there has been a last minute change with his top scorer Bellingham.
Alternatively, Bellingham could still travel with the rest of the squad to be around the locker room - as seen for the Champions League quarterfinal second leg with Aurelien Tchouameni even though he was suspended - meaning that his manager was technically correct in any event.
Regardless of how things will pan out, resting Bellingham might not be a bad idea.
His injury time winner in El Clasico at FC Barcelona's expense last Sunday means that Madrid is now 11 points clear of its bitter rivals at the summit, and Ancelotti can afford to rotate.
Bellingham looked fatigued in the last eight first leg against City, though this was coming off nine days' rest given that the Copa del Rey final took over the Spanish football calendar the weekend before that showdown.
On that occasion, however, the Englishman hadn't suffered from a bout of gastroenteritis as he has done this week, and it might be better that he doesn't travel ahead of catching the plane to Germany to face Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
As for Mendy, he missed El Clasico as Eduardo Camavinga replaced him. But he could be Ancelotti's first choice again at left back in Bavaria.
