RB Leipzig will have to come from a goal behind and beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Record UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid already have a 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg, and they will be confident of getting the job done against RB Leipzig. Meanwhile, the visitors have a tough task of coming from behind and defeating the Spanish giants in their own backyard.
The Red Bull Arena played host to the first leg, where Los Blancos came out on top with the slightest of margins as they won 1-0 on the night. While there is a major difference in the quality of both teams, the match was quite evenly contested.
Both teams had equal possession, and they created the same number of chances. Despite having fewer shots on target, Real Madrid came out on top thanks to Brahim Diaz. They now need to ensure they keep a clean sheet to go through to the next round.
Los Blancos are heading into this fixture on the back of a dramatic 2-2 draw against Valencia, where Jude Bellingham was shown a straight red after the final whistle. That result and everything that happened on the pitch after the final whistle will give Real Madrid a boost to get it done against the German club.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig are heading into this one on the back of a 4-1 win over VfL Bochum. It was a much-needed clinical performance from them, and they will expect more of the same in the fixture against the team in white.
While Real Madrid are the favourite, they do not have a decent enough lead and things could either way. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham, who missed the first leg because of an ankle injury, is available to feature in the second leg. The home team only have three absentees, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba, who have been on the sidelines for a while now. Courtois and Militao could return to the mix next month.
Real Madrid will once again line up in the 4-4-2 formation, with Andriy Lunin in goal. Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will feature as the full-backs. Aurelien Tchouameni will continue as one of the centre-backs alongside Antonio Rudiger.
The back four will look for a clean sheet as it will guarantee their progress to the next round. Eduardo Camavinga will be the defensive midfielder, while Federico Valverde and Toni Kroos will be in support of the Frenchman. Bellingham will continue as the attacking midfielder. And, in attack, it will once again be the dependable partnership of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
RB Leipzig
Marco Rose’s men will be without the services of Lukas Klostermann. Apart from him, they do not have any injury concerns. Meanwhile, Mohamed Simakan is suspended from taking part in this fixture after picking up a milestone yellow in the first leg. Xaver Schlager is back in the mix after missing the Bundesliga game against VfL Bochum last time out due to suspension.
The visitors will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, which tends to be a 4-2-2-2 at times. Peter Gulacsi will be in goal for Leipzig, while in the heart of the defence, Castello Lukeba will pair up with Willi Orban. Meanwhile, Benjamin Henrichs and David Raum will be the full-backs.
Xavi Simons and Dani Olmo will take charge on the flanks. They will provide width to their attacks, while Amadou Haidara and Xaver Schlager will feature in a more central role in the midfield. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game. Finally, the in-form Lois Openda will feature alongside Benjamin Sesko in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Gulacsi; Henrichs, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Olmo, Haidara, Schlager, Simons; Openda, Sesko
Key Stats
- Real Madrid and RB Leipzig have faced each other in the UEFA Champions League on three occasions, with Los Blancos coming out on top twice.
- Brahim Diaz’s goal helped the team in white win the first leg away from home (1-0).
- Carlo Ancelotti’s team have won each of their UEFA Champions League fixtures this season.
- RB Leipzig have only won two out of their last five matches in all competitions.
- Los Blancos only have two defeats this season, both came at the hands of rivals Atletico Madrid.
Player to Watch
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham has been the man for Real Madrid since the start of the season. The England international has 20 goals and eight assists in his 30 outings. It has been a sensational campaign for him so far, but there is still a long way to go.
Given what happened at the very end of the fixture against Valencia, one would expect the former Borussia Dortmund star to be all fired up for this fixture. He will look to give it his all and ensure Real Madrid make it to the quarter-finals.
Prediction
Real Madrid 3-1 RB Leipzig
Stopping Real Madrid in their own backyard is not that easy a task, and RB Leipzig will be made aware of it when they face the Merengues in the Spanish capital. The German club did do a great job in restricting the lead to one goal.
But they still might find it very difficult against Los Blancos, given the difference in quality of both squads. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the team in white, who will go through with an aggregate score of 4-1.