Real Madrid are in good shape ahead of their Champions League clash with Chelsea this evening.
Los Blancos are sitting pretty at the top of La Liga and feeling confident about their chances in the Champions League having completed a comeback win over Paris Saint-Germain in the last round.
Though, if they are to bag a semi-final spot, they are going to have to beat last season’s winners, and indeed the team who beat them in the semi-finals of last season’s competition.
Chelsea stand in their way of progression, and it’s set to be an intriguing tie, with Real Madrid having improved significantly since their defeat to the Blues at the penultimate stage last season.
The first leg, at Stamford Bridge, takes place this evening, and ahead of the game, Real Madrid have received a positive injury report.
Aside from Eden Hazard, who underwent surgery this week, they are pretty much at full strength, with only Isco Alarcon and Luka Jovic absent.
That means it should be a rather predictable starting XI for Los Blancos, with Carlo Ancelotti usually pretty consistent in his selections.
The only big question is whether he starts Marco Asensio or Rodrygo on the right-hand side.
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On the evidence of the weekend’s win over Celta Vigo, it should be Rodrygo who win that particular battle.
That would mean the starting XI looks like this:
(4-3-3) Courtois, Mendy, Militao, Alaba, Carvajal, Casemiro, Modric, Kroos, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo Benzema.