Real Madrid resumed training at Valdebebas on Monday morning, riding the momentum of their victory over Rayo Vallecano and shifting their focus toward the highly anticipated second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Atlético Madrid.
The biggest takeaway from the session was the return of two crucial players—Antonio Rüdiger and Thibaut Courtois. The German center-back had been sidelined due to flu, while the Belgian goalkeeper was dealing with a minor issue that cast some doubt over his availability for Wednesday’s Derby at the Metropolitano. However, both trained as normal with the group, dispelling any slight concerns over their availability.
Carlo Ancelotti had hinted at uncertainties following the league match against Rayo Vallecano, stating, “Hopefully Rüdiger can recover from the flu and also Courtois.” The Italian also acknowledged Courtois’ situation in the post-game press conference, saying, “Courtois has a small problem, but I think he will recover quickly for Wednesday.” Fortunately for Los Blancos, the Belgian shot-stopper was present in today’s session and looked normal.
Monday’s training was divided into two groups. The starters from the Rayo Vallecano match focused on recovery work inside the gym, following the club’s standard post-match protocol. Meanwhile, the substitutes and those who did not feature prominently—including Rüdiger, Courtois, and a fully fit Federico Valverde—took to the pitch for an intense session aimed at sharpening their physical and tactical readiness for Wednesday’s showdown.