Zinedine Zidane has taken a full strength squad to Turin as Real Madrid get set to face Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday.
Juventus will be aiming to take revenge for the 2017 Champions League final loss when they welcome Real Madrid to the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday for the first leg of their quarter-final tie. But, the hosts will need to pull out all the stops to get the better of Los Blancos, with Zinedine Zidane taking a full strength squad to Turin.
Two players though, are unlikely to feature on Tuesday, with Achraf Hakimi (knock) and Nacho (thigh) recovering from minor injuries. But, the Real Madrid boss should recall a number of high profile players who were rested for the league game against Las Palmas, although he iterated in his pre-match press conference that there are no guaranteed starters in his squad.
“There are no guaranteed starters in this squad. I’ve got 24 very good players and I’m going to use them all. Some of them get more game time at certain points of the season, but they’re all important.”
While Keylor Navas should retain his spot between the sticks. In front of him, however, the likes of Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo should return to the starting lineup, with Raphael Varane the only one continuing in the back four.
Up ahead in midfield, the first-choice trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro are likely to combine. The Brazilian will provide cover in front of the defensive line, while Kroos and Modric will be the creative forces feeding the front-men.
Upfront, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo are highly likely to start, but the real bone of contention surrounds the decision on their partner in attack. The likes of Isco, Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez have all staked their claim for the final spot in the Real Madrid lineup, and Zidane shared his thoughts on Isco, in particular.
“Isco is just another member of the squad. Things might be different with Spain because they only play eight games, but here we have 60 matches. They’ll all be important and my thinking won’t change on that.”
In the end, the Real Madrid boss might go with Bale, who suggested a major turnaround in form by scoring a brace against Las Palmas, meaning Isco, Vazquez and Asensio will have to suffice with a role as impact substitutes on the night.
