Real Madrid face Manchester City tomorrow evening.
Los Blancos welcome the Premier League side to the Santiago Bernabeu to contest the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. It’s as big a game as they come.
And Madrid are in a good mood going into the tie having won La Liga with four games to spare at the weekend following their 4-0 defeat of Espanyol at the Bernabeu.
City won by an identical scoreline against Leeds United at Elland Road, of course, and do hold the advantage of having won the first leg at the Etihad Stadium 4-3 before travelling to Spain.
Despite that, Madrid are confident they can pull off another comeback, just like they’ve done against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the last 16 and quarter-final of the competition.
But Carlo Ancelotti does have a selection dilemma heading into the game according to Marca. Casemiro’s return means that he’s going to have to drop a starter from the first leg.
The main decision centres on whether to shift Fede Valverde out to the right wing and drop Rodrygo Goes or to bring Casemiro in for Fede straight and leave Rodrygo out on the right side.
Fede would bring greater defensive solidity to the side but Rodrygo brings a real goal threat – the Brazilian is in fine form, scoring a brace against Espanyol and registering decisive goals against Chelsea and Sevilla in recent weeks.
Ancelotti will have to decide which formula suits his team best as he and his players look to fight for that coveted place in the Champions League final.
