Real Madrid host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday as they look to keep their 100% start to the season going.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have done away with every opponent in their path this season but have looked a little shaky without the services of injured talisman Karim Benzema who, like Eder Militao and Lucas Vazquez, will miss this one.
With that in mind, here’s how Ancelotti could set up.
GK: Thibaut Courtois – Is Courtois the best goalkeeper in the world these days? According to FIFA 23, he is.
RB: Dani Carvajal – With Vazquez injured, Carvajal has little competition for his starting role aside from the lesser-spotted Alvaro Odriozola.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – No Militao means Rudiger, who opened his Real account at the weekend, should retain his spot.
CB: David Alaba – Alaba has flipped between centre-back and left-back this season but is likely to remain in his central role for this one.
LB: Ferland Mendy – Mendy’s struggles on the attacking end continue to irk a number of Real fans.
DM: Aurelien Tchouameni – €100m looks like a bargain for this kid. Tchouameni has provided the perfect end to the Casemiro era.
CM: Luka Modric- A Rolls Royce of a footballer, Modric is as classy as they come. Still influencing games at 37.
CM: Toni Kroos – With just one year remaining on his contract, reports have started linking Kroos with a move to the Premier League with Manchester City.
RW: Federico Valverde – Ancelotti has been loving Valverde in this advanced role in European games and could deploy the versatile Uruguayan up there once again.
ST: Rodrygo – Eden Hazard didn’t impress against Mallorca in this false-nine role but Rodrygo came on and changed the game. That sort of thing doesn’t go unnoticed by Ancelotti.
LW: Vinicius Junior – The spotlight is on Vinicius amid public complaints that opponents are trying to kick him onto the treatment table.