Real Madrid begin their defence of the Champions League with two changes from the side that lost to Atletico Madrid on Saturday
Nacho and Marcelo replace Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Coentrao but other than that it’s as you were, Iker Casillas keeping his place despite criticism from a section of the Santiago Bernabeu during the derby defeat.
Carlo Ancelotti names six of the XI that beat Atletico in May to lift La Decima – Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Marcelo entered the game as a substitute while Pepe was unused from the bench due to injury, Raphael Varane starting in his place.
Coentrao, Sami Khedira and Angel Di Maria were the other players to start that game with Coentrao tonight on the bench, Khedira injured and Di Maria sold to Manchester United.
Basel have former Madrid defender Walter Samuel among their back four, alongside highly-rated Fabian Schar.
Experienced striker Marco Streller captains the Swiss champions, with the likes of Marek Suchy and Fabian Frei also starting at the Bernabeu.
Part of the ground is tonight closed as punishment for displaying a racist banner during last season’s semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Nacho, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Kroos, Modric, James; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo
Basel: Vaclik; Suchy, Samuel, Schar, Safari; Zuffi, Frei, Elneny, Xhaka; Gonzalez, Streller
Referee: Damir Skomina (SVN)
