“He needs rhythm” - Ancelotti confirms Real Madrid duo could play for first time since long-term injury in match against Cadiz

Real Madrid are gearing up for a potential double injury boost ahead of its league fixture against Cadiz.

The Spanish giants suffered back-to-back injury setback at the start of the season when star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and central defender Eder Militao were both ruled out for a major chunk of the season due to an ACL injury. While the club has continued to progress without two of their key defensive cogs, Los Blancos could receive a welcoming boost ahead of their league clash against Cadiz.

Thibaut Courtois was included in the matchday squad earlier this week for Madrid's UCL clash against Bayern Munich. He had returned to training a couple of weeks ago, and has reportedly shown good signs in training.

Ahead of Saturday's home fixture, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the injury situation in the pre-match press conference. He said:

"(Courtois) He’s fine. Tomorrow he will play after a long time. It’s good news that he’s back, just like Militao. He can contribute, he’s fine, he’s very excited. We’re delighted that he’s back."

Speaking of Brazilian centre back Eder Militao, Ancelotti added:

"Eder Militão will play tomorrow. He needs rhythm."

The upcoming home game against Cadiz is a crucial fixture for Real Madrid as they aim to lock down La Liga for the 36th time. With reigning champions FC Barcelona 11 points away, Los Blancos will clinch the domestic title shall they beat Cadiz and Barça fails to beat Girona.

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Can Thibaut Courtois start for Real Madrid in the UCL final? Carlo Ancelotti answers

Following a 2-2 draw in the away leg of their Champions League semifinal clash against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid are now being touted as the favorites to reach the UCL final in Wembley.

With Courtois regaining full fitness, there have been speculations within the media of the Belgian potentially starting in the Champions League final shall Madrid topple Bayern in the reverse fixture.

Addressing the situation, Ancelotti told the media:

"You want to ask if Courtois can reach a hypothetical final, right? We only think about the final we have on Wednesday. We don’t think about what could happen in a month. We’ll see. Hopefully, we can think about it, it will mean that we will reach the final in London."

When asked if Courtois' injury is similar to that of Militao, Ancelotti added:

"The injury is similar, but the readings are different. Defenders have different circumstances than a goalkeeper. One can be adapted before and another after. On a physical level they are fine, they have been medically discharged. Then we have to evaluate the situations.

The absence of Thibaut Courtois at the start of the season forced Madrid to rely on backup options, including Andriy Lunin and loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Despite the challenges, Madrid managed to maintain their competitive edge in both domestic and European competitions.