Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni can return to the Champions League

Carlo Ancelotti says Jude Bellingham is available for Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Stuttgart on Tuesday after being sidelined with a muscle injury.

Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is also back in contention after withdrawing from the French national team squad for the September international break due to a foot injury.

Ancelotti said defender Eder Militao did not train on Monday as he recovered from playing 90 minutes in Madrid's win over Real Sociedad on Saturday, but would be “100 percent” available for Tuesday.

“Bellingham is back, Tchouameni is back,” said Ancelotti. “Militao didn't train today because he needed a day to recover.”

Regarding 26-year-old Militao, Ancelotti added: “We thought about giving him another day of rest to relieve him of some work with the ball, but tomorrow he will be 100 percent available.”

Bellingham, 21, has been sidelined since August after sustaining a muscle injury to his right lower leg during training, meaning he missed Madrid's last four La Liga matches and England's two Nations League games this month.

Tchouameni, 24, missed this weekend's win over Real Sociedad due to a foot injury that kept him out of the French side's September training camp.

The return of Bellingham and Tchouameni comes after striker Brahim Diaz suffered a hip injury on Saturday that is expected to keep him out of action for at least two months.

Midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos are also out, the former with a torn knee ligament and the latter with a ligament injury in his ankle.

Given the numerous injuries his team is struggling with, Ancelotti criticised the busy schedule ahead of the expanded Champions League format that begins tomorrow.

“We have looked at what we can do (in the event of injuries), but it is not in our hands,” said Ancelotti. “The calendar is too demanding. A new competition is coming up and you don't know how it will turn out. Maybe it will be more entertaining, maybe not.”

“But what is certain is that we still have two games. If the governing bodies do not start to think that players are getting injured because they play too much, we have a problem. I call for the number of games to be reduced in order to have more attractive competitions.”

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