Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The Italian says the Frenchman is ready to return after a month out with a knee injury but he has yet to decide whether to start the forward
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Karim Benzema is "100 per cent fit" for Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Juventus.
The France international has been out of action for a month with a knee problem but has been given the green light to make his eagerly-awaited return to action in the semi-final, second-leg clash with the Bianconeri at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Ancelotti has yet to decide whether to start the striker, with Madrid trailing 2-1 on aggregate after last week's meeting in Turin.
"Benzema is fine," the Italian told reporters on Tuesday. "He's 100% fit.
"He needed a bit more time to recover but he's ready. He could play from the start or he could come on later on.
"But Benzema allows us to play a more effective offensive game, with more quality, because he is not a typical striker.
"He doesn't just score goals but also enables his team-mates to play better."
Ancelotti is also hoping that Madrid's fans get behind their team, with the coach having been left disappointed by the booing of club captain Iker Casillas during Saturday's Liga draw at home to Valencia.
"Everyone feels it when the fans whistle a player or a coach," the former Chelsea boss stated.
"Casillas has great amount of experience and is used to this kind of thing. It doesn't affect him; it motivates him even more, I think.
"But I think Wednesday it will be different. I think all the Madrid fans understand when it's an important game.
"Many times in the past they've really got behind us, like against Atletico [Madrid in the quarter-finals] and last year in the semi-finals [against Bayern Munich]. I'm sure they'll get behind us again."
Ancelotti is also of the opinion that Casillas will remain at Madrid this summer, despite being made a scapegoat by certain sections of the Bernabeu crowd.
“I think Casillas has reiterated many times he wants to stay," he added. "He has the confidence of us all: me, his team-mates and the club.
"He is a guarantee for us. But everyone has to make their personal decisions."
