Real Madrid are likely to have forwards Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema back for next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Juventus, coach Carlo Ancelotti told Sky Sports on Tuesday.
The Welsh winger has been sidelined by a calf injury for just over a week, while Karim Benzema has not featured since hurting his knee in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Atletico Madrid on April 14.
Ancelotti, whose side host relegation-threatened Almeria in La Liga on Wednesday, said Bale was due to return to training with his team mates on Thursday and Benzema would probably be back with them on Sunday.
Their return will boost Real Madrid for what Ancelotti called a “life and death” couple of weeks, when in addition to the Juve tie in Europe’s elite club competition they play at Sevilla and host Valencia in La Liga.
Real have found themselves five points behind Barca ahead the game against Almeria at the Bernabeu on Wednesday after the leaders beat Getafe at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
Barca have 83 points with five games left, with Real on 79, seven ahead of champions Atletico, who play at Villarreal on Wednesday.
“It’s a time of the season when all the games are life and death for every team.” Ancelotti said.
“We have to prepare this match (against Almeria) bearing in mind that it comes before a very difficult and very demanding run of games.
“We have a tough calendar, the matches are very, very difficult.