Real Madrid are set to take on Atalanta Bergamo at the Gewiss Stadium in a matter of moments. With the pressure on to secure a positive result and keep their Champions League hopes alive, Carlo Ancelotti and his squad face a formidable challenge. Ahead of kick-off, here is the official Madrid starting XI.
The Champions League, in its new format, reaches its sixth matchday this week. After a disappointing fifth matchday, Real Madrid will aim to overturn Atalanta Bergamo, led by Ademola Lookman, this Tuesday. With two matchdays remaining in the regular phase, Carlo Ancelotti and his players are determined to achieve a good result, not only to regain confidence following recent defeats in key matches but also to secure a place in the Top 8. For this match, the coaching staff has opted for a 4-3-3 formation with an attacking focus.
Ancelotti’s key decisions
As expected, Thibaut Courtois will stand between the posts for Madrid. Ahead of the Belgian giant, Antonio Rudiger and Aurélien Tchouaméni will form the central defensive pairing. On the left flank, Fran Garcia takes advantage of Ferland Mendy’s injury to earn a starting spot. Despite strong recent performances, young Raul Asensio will once again begin on the bench. Completing the back four, Lucas Vazquez will occupy the right-back position and faces the tough assignment of containing Ademola Lookman, the main attacking threat for La Dea.
In midfield, Dani Ceballos will play a pivotal role in maintaining balance, partnering with Federico Valverde, renowned for his tireless work rate. Jude Bellingham, the undisputed leader of the Madrid team in recent weeks, will be tasked with dictating the tempo and providing key passes to support the attack.
In the attacking trio, Vinicius Junior makes his much-anticipated return for this crucial clash. Despite initially being ruled out for 10 days due to injury, the Brazilian forward has worked tirelessly to ensure his availability against Atalanta. He will join Kylian Mbappé, who is still searching for a standout performance to truly ignite his Madrid adventure. Brahim Diaz will complement the duo, adding creativity and dynamism to the frontline. It is clear that a victory is crucial for Real Madrid if they hope to continue in the competition under favourable conditions. Here is the full Real Madrid starting XI against Atalanta:
Courtois – Rudiger, Tchouaméni, Fran Garcia, Lucas Vazquez – Dani Ceballos, Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham – Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé.
Leave a Reply