Real Madrid announce squad for Liverpool clash: Benzema in, Kroos and Tchouaméni out

Karim Benzema remains hopeful of playing against Liverpool. Carlo Ancelotti has included the striker in the squad to face the Reds despite the Frenchman missing the game against Osasuna and only doing part of the training session on Sunday.

Toni Kroos and Aurélien Tchouaméni are not travelling to England. The German has not recovered from the gastroenteritis that prevented him from playing against Elche and Osasuna and the Frenchman is suffering from the flu that also made him miss the 2-0 win in Pamplona. They are joined on the sidelines by Ferland Mendy and Mariano Díaz.

Ancelotti has selected 23 players, including four players from Castilla. Álvaro Rodríguez is back with the first team following his impressive league debut on Saturday. The Italian coach is taking two other Castilla players who are regulars in his squad, Mario Martín and Sergio Arribas, as well as Luis López, who is the club’s third-choice goalkeeper.

Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for Liverpool-Real Madrid

Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Luis López

Defenders: Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Vallejo, Nacho, Odriozola, Lucas Vázquez, Rüdiger

Midfielders: Modric, Camavinga, Valverde, Ceballos, Mario Martín, Arribas

Forwards: Hazard, Benzema, Asensio, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Álvaro Rodríguez

Real Madrid’s plan for Liverpool

Madrid fly from the Spanish capital at 11:00 and are scheduled to land in Liverpool at 13:30 (12:30 local time). The players will stay at the Innside Hotel, just four kilometres from Anfield. There will be official press conferences with Ancelotti and a player this evening (19:15 Spanish time) which will be followed by the European champions’ final pre-match training session.