"Ancelotti wants to lose, congrats Atletico" "This is a joke" - Angry Real Madrid fans slam Carlo Ancelotti for benching new signing for crucial La Liga clash against Atletico

Real Madrid fans are disappointed with Antonio Rudiger's exclusion from the starting XI for Madrid's La Liga clash at arch-rivals Atletico Madrid tonight (September 18).

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has named David Alaba and Eder Militao as the two centre-backs for the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano. The latter is returning from a hamstring injury and missed Los Blancos' last two games against RB Leipzig and RCD Mallorca.

Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will start as the two full-backs with Thibaut Courtois in goal. Aurelien Tchouameni, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will start in midfield. Meanwhile, Federico Valverde, Rodrgyo Goes, and Vinicius Jr. will start in attack, with Karim Benzema still out due to a knee injury.

Rudiger started the last two games for Real Madrid - the 4-1 win against Mallorca in La Liga and the 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory against Leipzig.

Many Los Blancos fans believe the German defender should have started the Madrid derby in place of Militao.

Rudiger, 29, joined Real Madrid earlier this summer on a free transfer after the expiration of his contract with Chelsea. He has made eight appearances so far across competitions for his new club.

Los Blancos, meanwhile, have won all eight games this season and are the only team in Europe's top five leagues to do so. They will look to get back to the top of the La Liga table by beating their city rivals.

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. gets support after facing racist remarks

Vinicius Jr. was subject to racist remarks by Pedro Bravo on a football show on Friday (September 16). Bravo criticised the Brazilian's dancing celebrations, comparing the action to a 'monkey' (via ESPN).

Vinicius, though, has received immense support from Brazilian players - former and current. Legendary forward Pele posted on Twitter:

The likes of Neymar Jr., Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus have all come forward in support of the Real Madrid forward, using the hashtag #BailaViniJr.

Vinicius has scored five goals and provided three assists in eight games across competition this season.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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