Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale is not an option to deputise
for the injured Marcelo at left-back, according to head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The club confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Marcelo would
be sidelined with a hamstring tear, prompting some to suspect that Bale could
drop back to the position he occupied in the early days of his career when Real
take on Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on
Wednesday.
However, when questioned on the matter, Ancelotti
insisted: "No, Gareth Bale will play forward."
The Italian has opted instead for Fabio Coentrao to
continue with the role filled in Real's 5-0 demolition of Rayo Vallecano on
Saturday, and revealed he had had 24 hours to mull over the decision.
"We knew yesterday," he said. "Fabio
Coentrao is ready to come in. He is fresh and hasn't played many games. We will
cover the loss well.
"Marcelo and Coentrao have the same job, so nothing
really changes."
Real and Dortmund met in the semi-final of last year's
tournament, with the German side progressing to the final, and Ancelotti has watched
the games back in preparation for this week's encounter.
"I watched the games against Dortmund from last
season," he continued. "They were strange matches.
"I thought that in the first leg Madrid had good
control in the first half. The second half was incredible.
"In the UEFA Champions League things like that can
happen. We will need to play with a lot of intensity."
Ancelotti also stressed winger Cristiano Ronaldo had
"forgotten" the jeers he received during Real's clash with Rayo
Vallecano at the weekend.
Culled from Soccerway
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