Carlo Ancelotti will need to pick a replacement for Aurelien Tchouameni in the Real Madrid midfield against Manchester City on Wednesday.
Real Madrid will be eager to seal a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals when they lock horns with Manchester City at the Etihad on Wednesday night. And Carlo Ancelotti has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Aurelien Tchouameni is unavailable due to suspension after picking up a booking last week in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Manchester City. Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba are the only other players missing from the travelling squad.
Ancelotti did not discuss any team news updates during his pre-match press conference. Instead, the Italian tactician heaped praise on Jude Bellingham, who has been exceptional since arriving from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
The Real Madrid manager said, “I always ask the players to do the same thing, to work for the team. That means commitment and attitude. What Bellingham did in the first half was a positive because he scored a lot of goals and nobody expected that. I ask him to keep working for the team, like everyone else.”
“The work of the players in front of us is also evident because we’re the team that has conceded the fewest goals in the league. This means that the collective work has been very good. We have a lot of quality and commitment. Bellingham is really good. He’s a very modern player, with great quality, technique and physical strength.”
“He’s a midfielder, but he can cover a lot of space because of his quality. He’s doing very well and he’s going to be one of the most important players in the future for Real Madrid. He’s only 20 years old and we forget about that, but he’s very professional and has been fantastic for us.”
Bellingham will reprise his usual role behind the two strikers, with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo leading the line for the away side. Tchouameni’s absence means Eduardo Camavinga will sit at the base of the Real Madrid midfield, with Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde accompanying him in the middle of the park.
As for the defensive quartet, Ancelotti will make only one change, with Dani Carvajal joining Nacho, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy in the backline. Finally, Andriy Lunin will take his usual spot between the sticks as he deputises for Courtois.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
