Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will have to work around the absence of Eduardo Camavinga for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg with Arsenal at the Bernabeu.
While already on a yellow card in last week’s 3-0 defeat, the Frenchman petulantly kicked the ball away after the whistle had blown, thus being given his marching orders right at the death.
However, Camavinga’s initial booking would have seen him suspended anyway, and the former Rennes starlet joins Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal (both knee) on the sidelines for the return fixture.
Ancelotti can simply make a like-for-like swap in the middle, though, as Aurelien Tchouameni is back from his own European ban and will reprise his role from the weekend’s 1-0 victory over Alaves in La Liga.
A well-rested Luka Modric could partner the Frenchman, allowing Federico Valverde to displace Lucas Vazquez at right-back, while Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio are guarantees in front of Thibaut Courtois.
David Alaba was run ragged by Bukayo Saka last week, but Fran Garcia should not fare much better, so Ancelotti may side with the experienced Austrian again if Ferland Mendy‘s muscular problem does not settle down in time.
Kylian Mbappe‘s red card against Alaves has no impact on his Champions League participation, so the World Cup winner will no doubt continue with Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, all of whom will need to make vast improvements from last week if the remontada is to occur.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Tchouameni, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe
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