Real Madrid's Alvaro Rodriguez to be suspended for El Clasico?

The 18-year-old has recently made the transition into the first team at Bernabeu, scoring his first senior goal for the club in the Madrid derby with Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

In total, Rodriguez has played six times for Real Madrid's first team this season, scoring once and providing one assist, but he is also still turning out for Real Madrid Castilla.

The Spaniard was already on four yellow cards at domestic level before picking up a fifth booking while playing for Castilla against Deportivo La Coruna last Sunday.

According to AS, the booking is set to rule Rodriguez out of El Clasico at Camp Nou, but Real Madrid have already appealed the decision.

The report claims that Los Blancos are not hopeful when it comes to overcoming the ruling, but a final decision on the appeal has not yet been made.

Rodriguez has featured in each of Real Madrid's last four league matches, including the final minute of last Saturday's 3-1 success over Espanyol.

Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti recently said that the youngster would become a permanent first-team squad member at the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

"For next season he will be in the first-team squad because he has the quality that few others have. For his age, he is tall, powerful and a formidable header," Ancelotti recently told reporters.

"In this last part of the season we will evaluate if we need him, which I think we do, Castilla or both. We have to handle him well and Raul and I will discuss what to do.

"He has shown all his quality and it is a special night for him and for us because we are beginning to realise that he will be useful in this part of the season."

A recent report claimed that Barcelona had the opportunity to sign Rodriguez from Girona in the summer of 2020 but ultimately decided against a move.

Karim Benzema is set to be fit for the clash with Barcelona despite suffering an injury scare during Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League.

Ferland Mendy was also back on the bench against the Premier League outfit after recovering from a hamstring problem, leaving David Alaba as the team's only first-team absentee at this stage.

Real Madrid are nine points behind Barcelona in the La Liga table ahead of Sunday's contest, strengthening the need to triumph in El Clasico.