Real Madrid confirmed starting lineup against Manchester City in Champions League

It’s Groundhog Day at the Bernabéu. Just three months on from their last meeting, Real Madrid face Manchester City once again in the Champions League. Same opponent, but with many differences from their last meeting.

The first is on the home bench, where Álvaro Arbeloa has replaced Xabi Alonso. What hasn’t changed, although some of the names have, is the plague of injuries that has ravaged the Madrid squad. Arbeloa has seven first-team players out, with top scorer Kylian Mbappé on that list of absentees.

Also out are Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham, severely depleting Madrid’s offensive options. The midfield is missing Dani Ceballos, while defenders Éder Militão, David Alaba and Álvaro Carreras are also expected to be sidelined for the game.

Who will play for Real Madrid against Manchester City?

So, with all those names out, who is left? Fortunately, Madrid do have plenty of squad depth and Arbeloa has just released his XI for the first leg.

The Madrid manager is going with Courtois in goal, Trent, Rudiger, Huijsen and Mendy on the back line. Captain Fede Valverde, Tchouameni, Arda Guler and Thiago in the midfield with Brahim and Vinicius leading the attack.

There was some doubt whether it would be Huijsen or Raul Asencio who played over the weekend against Celta after coming back from a nasty knock. The cantera man Thiago gets the nod instead of Eduardo Camavinga who has missed the last two matches for Madrid, and Brahim gets his second start as Kylian Mbappe continues to recover from a knee injury.

This is one of the biggest matches that the young defender Dean Huijsen has been a part of, and there have been some nervy moments in his first season at the Bernabeu. He is paired up with Rudiger who will be keeping a watchful eye on Erling Haaland.

Vinicius has been the spark plug for Real Madrid in the absence of Mbappe, and for Los Blancos to succeed tonight, they will need the Brazilian to have a special performance. Brahim will be looking to shake off a subpar outing in Balaidos against his former club, Manchester City.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.