Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that centre-forward Karim Benzema will miss Saturday's La Liga game at home to Malaga through injury, while saying he will otherwise name his strongest possible lineup.
Benzema was substituted midway through the second half of Tuesday's 0-0 Champions League quarterfinal first-leg draw at Atletico Madrid, and reportedly withdrew from training on Friday morning with a knee complaint picked up during the physical encounter at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
Madrid go into the weekend two points behind table-toppers Barcelona, and hoping to momentarily go back top of the standings, and then that the Catalan side slip up in their potentially tricky game at home to Champions League qualification chasing Valencia later on Saturday afternoon.
The Blancos coach told his prematch news conference that the France international would not play against Malaga, but should be fine to return to start Wednesday's Champions League return game at home to Atletico.
"Benzema is not available, but we will have him back for the next game," Ancelotti said. "He will be able to play on Wednesday."
Gareth Bale, who missed training on Thursday and has been hampered recently by a number of niggles, came through Friday's session fine and is expected to start against Malaga -- as is La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Former Malaga playmaker Isco looks most likely to replace Benzema in the starting XI, having been benched for Tuesday's huge game at Atletico. Ancelotti said he did not see Isco as having been "dropped," and did not feel the youngster had been affected by that decision.
"Isco does not think he has lost his place," he said. "He played the previous game in La Liga. In this moment there are no most important games, they are all important, as we are battling for the two most important trophies of the season.
"So all the games are the same. Isco is fresh, he is fine, like the rest of us. I believe he's happy as has played more games than last season. He is a very important player for this team, a fundamental player for this squad. I can use him in any moment."
Seventh-placed Malaga have lost their last three away games in La Liga, but did beat Barca 1-0 at the Camp Nou in March, and last week drew 2-2 at home to third-placed Atletico Madrid.
Left-back Fabio Coentrao started in place of the suspended Marcelo for Wednesday's game against Atletico, but the Portuguese was not named in the squad for this weekend.
"We will put out best team possible to try and win this game," Ancelotti said. "We know this is a dangerous game, we are playing against a team which played very well against Atletico, very intense, very dynamic.
"That they won in Barcelona also concerns us. Tomorrow is a big game, and the team who feels best in this moment will play. It is not a game to give playing time to players who need it, like Coentrao. He will not start."
The Italian coach, who this week suggested his future as Madrid boss was dependent on how results went over the rest of the current campaign, said that he expected both himself and club captain Iker Casillas to still be at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu next year.
"I see myself here next season, with Casillas, with all the players doing well for Real Madrid," Ancelotti said. "At this moment answering such questions is not so important. We have a very intense end of the season, and are all focused on what we must do in this final stage."
Casillas' situation at the Bernabeu is again under question, given Madrid are regularly linked with a move for Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.
Asked if he felt the club needed to sign a new keeper for next season, Ancelotti's answer was short. "We have never spoken about that," he said.