After their 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium earlier this week, Real Madrid are clear favourites to progress past Manchester in the Champions League play-off round. The second leg of the tie takes place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, and the defending champions will be aiming to finish the job and book their place in the last 16 of the competition.
Real Madrid’s victory in Manchester was all the more impressive when considering that they were without multiple starting defenders. Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba suffered muscular injuries in the last couple of weeks which meant that they were unavailable, although Diario AS have reported that they will both be fit enough to be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s matchday squad for the second leg.
However, there is some bad news for Ancelotti, and it is that he will not be able to call upon Lucas Vazquez, despite having been confident of the 33-year-old right-back being available.
In the days before the first leg in Manchester, Lucas was struck down with a hamstring injury, and this meant that he was unable to be called upon for the first leg. There had been confidence that he would be okay for the return leg at the Bernabeu, but those beliefs have turned out to be ambitious.
It means that Ancelotti will certainly be starting with Federico Valverde at right-back again, although this would probably have been the case even if Lucas was fit enough to be called up to the matchday squad. The Uruguayan is considered more reliable in defence than his Spanish counterpart, although the loss of his presence in midfield is a blow.
It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid can recover Lucas for next weekend’s home match against Girona. As things stand, he is doubtful for that one.
Valveeeeeeeeeeeerde!!!!! Take the lead 4 us