Antonio Rudiger will replace Eder Militao in the Real Madrid starting lineup when they host Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Real Madrid will be desperate to return to winning ways and remain in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League standings when they welcome Manchester City to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. Xabi Alonso has new injury concerns to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Eder Militao is the latest absentee after picking up a hamstring injury this past weekend against Celta Vigo. The Brazilian defender accompanies Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy. Additionally, Alonso is reportedly sweating over the fitness of Eduardo Camavinga and Kylian Mbappe.
Camavinga may miss the game against Real Madrid due to the recurrence of his long-standing ankle issues. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Alonso did not provide fitness updates on any players. Instead, the Spanish tactician discussed the noise and speculation surrounding him amid the recent poor results.
The Real Madrid manager said, “This is a team, and we all stand together. When you’re a Real Madrid coach, you have to be prepared to enjoy these situations calmly and responsibly. I’m looking forward to everything that’s to come, which starts tomorrow. We started closing the book on the Celta game yesterday, and today it’s just about City.”
“In football, you can change perspective quickly, and we’re at that point. We’re all in this together, and we have to enjoy the good times and get through the not-so-good times. We have to have the conviction that the next game is an opportunity. As I said, tomorrow we have a very nice and exciting game.”
“Starting now in training, we need to have that fire in our eyes for the game, to have that energy so the fans at the Bernabeu like what they see and feel that emotional connection. It has to come from us. If that happens, we’ll have a good chance of winning.”
Thibaut Courtois is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Real Madrid lining up in a 4-3-1-2 formation in front of him against Manchester City on Wednesday. The backline will feature Federico Valverde, Raul Asencio, Antonio Rudiger, and Alvaro Carreras.
As for the midfield unit, Dani Ceballos will make a rare start, lining up alongside Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni in the middle of the park. Jude Bellingham will reprise the no. 10 role, with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior completing the numbers in the final third. So, Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo will be backup options on the bench.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras; Guler, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Junior