Carlo Ancelotti brings back Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy to host the ‘reds’
Real Madrid aims to seal a passage to the quarter-finals in the Champions League on Wednesday. The club seeks redemption after a tense first leg at Anfield against Jürgen Klopp and his Liverpool side, which handed Real a 2-5 deficit. At the Santiago Bernabéu, where history is not always kind to the home team, Madrid plans to push hard and avoid any shocks as they push to advance to the next round.
ALL ABOUT LIVERPOOL VS. REAL MADRID OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2022-2023
Benzema and Mendy return to the Madrid squad
The squad arrives at this clash with two major updates. Karim Benzema is back after recovering from ankle issues and is expected to lead the attack for the Reds. He is anticipated to start at the spearhead under Ancelotti. Ferland Mendy also returns from injury after several weeks sidelined, with initial plans indicating he may start on the bench. The only notable absence is David Alaba, who remains in the final stretch of his recovery.
The coach will not improvise with the lineup. Thibaut Courtois guards the goal, with Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and the reliable Nacho Fernández forming the defensive line. In midfield, Ancelotti faces a decision between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga as the pivot while Luka Modric and Toni Kroos remain key playmakers. Up front, Fede Valverde supports Benzema alongside Vinícius Jr.
Liverpool, carrying several injuries
Klopp’s side also arrives with important injuries. Thiago Alcántara, Luis Díaz and Calvin Ramsay are confirmed out. Bajčetić and Henderson were ruled out late, and other concerns include Naby Keita, Joe Gómez and Arthur Melo. The captain’s condition remains cautious, potentially limiting his involvement. Despite these setbacks, Klopp is expected to field a familiar XI similar to the squad that faced Real Madrid recently, aiming to erase the three-goal deficit from the first leg. In Europe, the German manager trusts his squad to deliver a stronger performance, especially since they must overturn the aggregate to dream of advancing.
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LINEUPS OF REAL MADRID VS. LIVERPOOL
Real Madrid (1-4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Modric, Tchouaméni or Camavinga, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema and Vinícius
Liverpool (1-4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita or Arthur, Elliott; Salah, Darwin Núñez, Gakpo
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Source: Goal