MADRID, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid can return to the top of La Liga for 24 hours if it wins a difficult game away to Betis on Saturday night.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's side has little recovery time from its intense Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg game in San Sebastian on Wednesday night, although the coach made several changes for that match with Endrick, Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham all starting.

Bellingham is suspended on Saturday, while Rodrygo will return for Endrick in attack and Fede Valverde will also return after getting a well-earned rest, but Ancelotti has lost a key midfield player with Dani Ceballos out for two months after picking up a knee injury on Wednesday night.

That injury will sideline Ceballos for around two months, frustrating a player who commented on social media that he was in his best form of his career.

"We travel in a good moment of form and so do Betis," said Ancelotti in his pre-game press conference on Friday.

"They are good rivals, well coached and they have collective and individual talent, so it's a game with a lot at stake," he added.

Betis will be able to play on-loan winger Antony after the red card he was shown late in its 2-1 win in Getafe last weekend was lifted by the Spanish Football Federation's appeals committee.

"That was incredible, especially because the game at home to Real Madrid is so important. We are at home in front of our fans, and I am really happy and ready for the match," said the forward, who has two goals and two assists since joining from Manchester United.

Ancelotti preferred not to comment on Antony's availability for Betis, saying only that he thought it was unfair that Bellingham would have to serve the second game of his ban after sweating at referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero in his side's 1-1 draw in Pamplona a fortnight ago. Enditem

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