REAL MADRID
Real Madrid-Chelsea goes ahead as planned
The weather has improved in the few hours running up to the game and technicians are removing excess water from a playing surface which worried Madrid officials.
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Real Madrid - Chelsea game goes ahead
Tonight's friendlly between Real Madrid and Chelsea went ahead as planned in spite of initial worries this afternoon that the match might have to be cancelled after heavy rainfall left the pitch at Michigan Stadium in a state which had worried Madrid officials. The weather in Ann Arbor however improved in the run-up to the game and technicians were able to removing water from the playing surface that meant it was ready for the 9pm (Central European Time) kick-off.
New playing surface at the Michigan Stadium
The playing surface at the Michigan Stadium is new and Real Madrid officials admitted to some disquiet about it in the run up to the game. Natural turf has been laid directly over an artificial, synthetic playing surface. During the past week, technicians have laid 25 fresh rolls of turf on the pitch, but it wasn't clear before the game how it would hold up after several hours of heavy rainfall.
Zidane's starting XI
Zinedine Zidane went with the following starting team for the match against Chelsea:
Casilla
Carvajal
Varane
Nacho
Marcelo
Casemiro
Kovacic
Lucas Vázquez
Morata
Asensio
Mariano