Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos faces five weeks on the sidelines with a torn hamstring, while left-back Marcelo's suspension for Saturday's 'derbi' at Atletico Madrid has been confirmed.
Ramos limped out of Wednesday's 2-1 La Liga home win over Sevilla after picking up the problem, and the league leaders have confirmed that tests discovered a serious tear to his left hamstring.
Sergio Ramos medical report: He has been diagnosed with a torn hamstring in his left leg pic.twitter.com/LgZX3mEhi3
- Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) February 6, 2015
Playmaker James Rodriguez suffered a broken foot during the same Sevilla game and is likely out of action for two months, while midfielder Luka Modric and centre-back Pepe are also currently sidelined through injury.
The Champions League holders' coach told Friday's news conference that Ramos would be out for about five weeks, putting his participation in the clasico at Barcelona in the weekend of March 21-22 in doubt.
"The injury to Ramos is important -- five weeks," Ancelotti said. "But I have confidence in the partnership of [Raphael] Varane and Nacho [Fernandez]. They are very good players, very enthusiastic and motivated to play. They will do well tomorrow, no problems."
Ancelotti's other selection concern in defence is at left-back, after the mandatory one-match ban imposed on first-choice Marcelo for picking up a fifth yellow card of the season against Sevilla was upheld by the Spanish government's 'Tribunal Administrativo del Deporte' on Friday lunchtime.
"We do not know yet on Marcelo, we are waiting on a final judgement," Ancelotti said. "We still hope the card can be overturned. [If not] we can use Fabio Coentrao, or Alvaro Arbeloa, as we have done many times. So we have no problem to replace Marcelo, if they do not take away the yellow."
Sure to start is top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who Ancelotti said was raring to go after missing Madrid's last two games due to his suspension for kicking an opponent at Cordoba earlier in January.
"[Ronaldo] is motivated as always," he said. "He has enjoyed his week's work very well, and is in top condition."
Ancelotti said his team, which has lost two and drawn three of their five derbies against Atletico so far this season, were not anxious coming into a game under-strength against such physical opponents.
"There are many reasons to look forward to the game," he added. "The Copa del Rey games did not go well. This is an important moment of the season. It is also a derbi. So there is a lot of expectation and excitement among the fans.
"We are preparing well, we have confidence ahead of the game. We are not afraid, we know Atletico do their work very well, above all in defence. For sure they are one of the best in the world in defence. We are thinking about that, to find the way to move them around a bit more."