Ancelotti on Madrid without Benzema and upcoming 'Clasico'

There are no friendlies between Real Madrid and Barcelona, even a pre-season 'Clasico' has high stakes.No one is more aware of this than Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, who spoke to the press ahead of the clash. The two legendary rivals will face off on Saturday in Dallas, Texas in a pre-season match as part of the Soccer Champions Tour.
Happy so far with his team's pre-season, which has seen them beat both AC Milan and Manchester United, the Italian coach understands that here they face a "a very strong opponent with a lot of quality". He believes that in fact, "the result is the least of it, the most important thing is to keep progressing".
Regarding Jude Bellingham, who in just two matches has shown himself already a worthy investment for the Spanish club, the coach was full of praise for his skills and adjustment to the squad: "He is a very complete playmaker and is adapting very well because his teammates are helping him a lot".
As for how the Englishman fits in with existing talents, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Ancelotti explained they have to "wait a bit to see how they adapt" but he helps a lot pressuring forward, and "can also help putting pressure more on the midfield".
The only unavailable Madrid player will be Turkish youngster, Arda Guler, who continues returning to training slowly after injury concerns, and his yet to make his debut for 'Los Merengues'.
Another notable absence is Madrid legend, Karim Benzema, who left the club earlier this summer to join Saudi side Al-Ittihad, and Ancelotti explained that although the Frenchman was "fantastic", the club will continue without him, as they have without their other legends.
"We have a fantastic memory of Benzema and what he did here. I will be forever grateful to him because he gave us the chance to win the Champions League", acknowledged Ancelotti. "Real Madrid goes on and has gone on without Cristiano, Bale or Casemiro. That's why Real Madrid is loved by fans all over the world and hopefully tomorrow they can enjoy the quality of the team and its players. Hopefully we can win".