Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid starting lineup against Chelsea second leg
Real Madrid will hope to keep up their winning run as they take on Chelsea in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals second leg. They are up 1-3 on aggregate after a stellar display and will hope their starting lineup tonight can get the job done.
Thibaut Courtois starts in goal, as everyone expected him to, and will be screened by David Alaba and Nacho. Eder Militao is not in the squad owing to an injury. Dani Carvajal takes up his role as the right-back while Ferland Mendy starts on the left.
The stellar trident of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro return to man the midfield after the first two were benched vs Getafe.
There are no changes in the attack from the first leg as Karim Benzema starts as the striker. He will be partnered by Federico Valverde on the right and Vinicius Jr. on the left.
Official Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius
Arda Guler’s Real Madrid stint has not gotten off to the start he would have hoped to have given the expectation that preceded the transfer.
Having joined in the summer after Real Madrid outbid their competition to win him over from Fenerbahce for a 20-million-euro fee, buzz was high as the winger was expected to slot into the team quite seamlessly, albeit on a rotational basis.
Unfortunately for the 18-year-old, he has been constantly marred by injuries since completing the move.
Reports have stated that after Guler picked up his third injury since his move, Real Madrid have been concerned and want to take things slow with the player to ensure he is fit as soon as possible after an injury to his quadriceps this time.
The Turk is yet to make his competitive debut for the club, and Real Madrid even sacked their medical chief in November, in light of their injury crises since the beginning of the season.
No loan deal for Guler
However, according to Fabrizio Romano in a recent YouTube video, he states that Madrid maintain full trust and patience in the youngster.
Despite his bad luck with injuries, the latest of which he is scheduled to return from after Christmas, the Galacticos have no intention of loaning out Guler to Turkish clubs despite lots of speculation of them doing so of late.
Romano states that Madrid remain firm on not shaking things up too much with the squad, and they want to keep their roster stable, including Arda Guler.
They want to extend their full support and protection to the player as he aims to return to full fitness and finally make his bow for Madrid either by the end of this month or in 2024.
