Jude Bellingham will remain in the Real Madrid starting lineup against RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid will aim to book a spot in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals when they welcome RB Leipzig to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. And Carlo Ancelotti does not have any new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Jude Bellingham is available, as he will serve his suspension in La Liga. So, only the three long-term absentees are missing from the matchday squad to take on RB Leipzig. Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and David Alaba remain on the sidelines, although Courtois and Militao are closing in on returning to action.
During his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti addressed questions on his team composition on Wednesday, Bellingham’s suspension, and his squad. On team composition, he said, “I’m not going to give away any clues, but I have doubts. The Tchouameni-Rüdiger pairing came about because Nacho hadn’t trained and had a slight niggle. Nacho is now available and has the same chance to start.”
The Real Madrid manager said on Bellingham, “I’ve not spoken to Bellingham about this matter. He’s someone who tries to give everything on the pitch and he’s doing very well. The red card the other day was a mistake. He was a bit frustrated, but he didn’t insult anyone.”
“The main thing is that I’ve got some very good players who have a lot of quality. I’ve also got players who want to learn, improve and be part of this club. This is important. My players accept what I put on the table. They give everything to do well and help the team.”
While Nacho is available, Aurelien Tchouameni should continue pairing up with Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the defence. Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal will retain their spots as the full-backs, with Andriy Lunin taking his place between the sticks.
As for the midfield unit, Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos miss out again. So, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, and Federico Valverde will take their places in the middle of the park. Bellingham will reprise his usual role behind the strikers, with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo leading the line for Real Madrid against RB Leipzig.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
