Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has explained why he did not use either Endrick or Arda Guler in Tuesday evening's pre-season friendly with English giants Chelsea.
Endrick and Guler were notable absentees in North Carolina, with Vinicius Junior, Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo starting as the front three, before Juanmi Latasa featured off the bench in the second period.
Ancelotti has said that he did not want to take any risks with Endrick or Guler, as the pair "had difficulties recovering" following the recent pre-season friendly with Barcelona.
Real Madrid lost to AC Milan and Barcelona during their US Tour, but they ended with a 2-1 success over Chelsea, with Lucas Vazquez and Brahim on the scoresheet against the Premier League club.
"They had difficulties recovering after the game against Barcelona. We preferred to avoid taking any risks because we wanted everyone to arrive safely for the Super Cup final. This morning they worked individually," Ancelotti told reporters.
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Real Madrid beat Chelsea in final match of US Tour
"It was a game with a good tempo, with a clear idea up front and the attacking aspect was good.
"We were vertical with Vini and Rodrygo and it was a good pre-season game. The feeling is that those who started working on 15 July are doing quite well.
"The game was intense, fast and with a lot of changes up front because Chelsea have very quick players. It was a game with a lot of transitions and it was good for us to play it.
"The squad is very competitive and the competition helps us to be focused, professional and serious. The competitiveness of the squad is a positive aspect."
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Real Madrid are now preparing for the UEFA Super Cup
Real Madrid will not be back in action until August 14, when they take on Atalanta BC in the UEFA Super Cup.
Kylian Mbappe has not been with the Los Blancos squad in the United States, with the new signing instead given a longer period of recovery due to his involvement for France at Euro 2024.
The Frenchman's first outing for Real Madrid could come against Atalanta, with his La Liga debut then likely to arrive in the team's opening match of the new campaign against Mallorca on August 18.
Real Madrid are the reigning La Liga and European champions, and they have boosted their squad with two signings this summer, adding Endrick and Mbappe to their forward line.
Matt Law
