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Real Madrid fans are concerned after seeing Antonio Rudiger being named in the starting lineup against Osasuna away in La Liga on February 18.
Fans on Twitter are worried as Rudiger has been named in the first XI. They claimed that the German central defender's presence in the starting lineup might hinder the team's chances of keeping a clean sheet.
A returning Thibaut Courtois replaces Andriy Lunin in goal for the current holders. Nacho, Eder Militao, Rudiger, and David Alaba are the back four. Eduardo Camavinga starts in the midfield alongside veteran Luka Modric and in-form Dani Ceballos. Rodrygo leads the line in Karim Benzema's absence, with Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde being his partners in the attack.
Fans, however, are skeptical of Rudiger's presence. The German centre-back joined the club on a free summer transfer after his contract expiration with Chelsea.
He has since made 30 appearances, 22 of those as starters in the playing XI. Despite being a regular, he is yet to convince the Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
Worried fans claimed that Rudiger is not a good defender in a 1v1 situation. Another fan claimed that the team is bound to let one goal in as he wrote:
"Rudiger starting? Madrid is conceding then."
Here are some of the reactions from Real Madrid fans as their lineup against Osasuna is announced:
Why is Karim Benzema not playing for Real Madrid against Osasuna?
Karim Benzema bagged a brace from the penalty spot during the midweek home clash against Elche. The game also marked a special landmark for the Frenchman as he became Real Madrid's all-time second-highest scorer in La Liga.
Benzema, however, is not part of the team to face Osasuna. Ancelotti explained the mercurial forward's absence, saying that he is fatigued and has been rested to be kept fresh for the remainder of the season.
The Italian manager said (via Madrid's official website):
“Since the World Cup, Karim has done really well. He's scored in almost every game. He's contributing but we would rather give him the rest when he's fatigued to ensure he can stay fit throughout the season. Causing people to doubt the competition is not good. Sport must always remain clean and we all have to work hard to ensure it stays that way."
Los Blancos currently have 48 points on the board from 21 La Liga games and are trailing league leaders Barcelona by eight points.
