Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rudiger will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup vs Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
Real Madrid will aim to progress to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals when they lock horns with Atletico Madrid at Estadio Metropolitano in the second leg of the round of 16 on Wednesday night. Carlo Ancelotti has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rudiger should return after Ancelotti rested them this past weekend against Rayo Vallecano. Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham has served his suspension in the UEFA Champions League, while Federico Valverde should be fit and available.
However, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal and Dani Ceballos remain on the sidelines. In addition, Ancelotti is sweating over the fitness of Brahim Diaz and Kylian Mbappe, with the duo recovering from minor issues. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, the Italian tactician did not provide a fitness update on any player.
However, the Real Madrid manager discussed his squad’s preparations. Ancelotti said, “We come into the game in good shape, we’re always motivated in this competition. It’ll be a tough game, we know that, but we have the confidence to keep going in what is a very special competition for us.”
“If you run a lot, you might get the draw, but if you make the difference you’ll most likely win the game. The goal is to make it to the quarter-finals, whoever we name in the lineup. Practicing penalties is difficult but we’re not thinking about that right now. We’re considering how to approach the game in the right way.”
Courtois will return to the Real Madrid starting lineup on Wednesday, with the away side lining up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of him against Atletico Madrid. The backline should feature Federico Valverde, Raul Asencio, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy.
As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga should pair up in the central areas, with Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham taking up the wide berths. Finally, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe should be the two strikers, even though the latter’s availability is questionable.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Predicted XI
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Rodrygo, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Junior