What is Real Madrid’s possible starting line-up vs RB Leipzig today in the Champions League?
Karim Benzema, Éder Militão and Lucas Vázquez are all unavailable to Real Madrid, who host RB Leipzig on matchday two of the Champions League on Wednesday.
One hundred and thirty days on from Real Madrid’s memorable semi-final victory over Manchester City, the Champions League returns to the Bernabéu on Wednesday. The European champions host RB Leipzig in a rich vein of form: Carlo Ancelotti’s men have won seven out of seven in all competitions so far this season.
Benzema, Militão and Vázquez unavailable to Madrid
Madrid welcome the Germans to the Spanish capital with three significant injury absentees: Karim Benzema, Éder Militão and Lucas Vázquez.
Having limped out of Los Blancos’ Champions League opener against Celtic with a knee issue last Tuesday, star striker Benzema missed Sunday’s LaLiga win over Real Mallorca and is pushing hard to return in time for this weekend’s derby against Atlético Madrid at the Cívitas Metropolitano.
Brazilian centre-back Militão is also in contention to face Atlético. The 24-year-old, who was withdrawn at half time in Glasgow with a thigh strain, was able to join the Madrid squad for part of Tuesday’s training session.
Winger-turned-full-back Vázquez, who is technically an understudy but is a regular starter, also misses the Leipzig game with a thigh injury. The Galician is expected to be fit for the club’s first game back after the September international break, against Osasuna on 2 October.
Right-back Álvaro Odriozola returns to the squad after almost a month out with a calf problem.
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Rodrygo at centre-forward?
The chief change to the Madrid line-up could be the deployment of Rodrygo Goes as a No. 9, after the Brazilian performed excellently against Mallorca following his shift into a central role, having started the game on the wing.
Aurélien Tchouaméni will return at anchorman, allowing Toni Kroos to return to his regular position on the left-hand side of the midfield three. Luka Modric, who was rested at the weekend, is likely to join Tchouaméni and Kroos in the engine room.
Real Madrid’s possible starting line-up vs RB Leipzig
Given the absence of Benzema, Militão and Vázquez, Real Madrid’s starting XI against Leipzig could be: Courtois; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Tchouaméni, Kroos; Valverde, Rodrygo and Vinicius.
Ancelotti has named 21 players in his squad for the match, so he will have ten substitutes at his disposal: Lunin, Luis López, Odriozola, Vallejo, Nacho, Camavinga, Ceballos, Asensio, Hazard and Mariano.