Real Madrid-Leipzig is a match valid for the return leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League and is played Wednesday at 9 p.m.: streaming, probable formations, predictions.
It was not the usual Real Madrid that took the field at the Red Bull Arena three weeks ago to take on Leipzig in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. The Blancos suffered more than expected from the aggressive and swaggering attitude of Marco Rose’s men, who had several chances to take the lead, both in the first and second half.
Decisive, in the end, was the goal scored by former Milan player Brahim Diaz at the beginning of the second half: a goal of rare beauty that allows Carlo Ancelotti’s team to play for two results out of three in the return match at the “Bernabeu.” Even a draw would guarantee Real a place in Europe’s top eight. Since the Leipzig match, the Merengues have played only three games, all in the league. On the road, the Madrid men had to settle for picking up two points, the result of draws with Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. At home, on the other hand, a goal by the eternal Modric was enough to bend Sevilla. It is not, however, a convincing Real Madrid in recent weeks, and this is demonstrated by the fact that last Saturday, at the Mestalla, a resounding Vinicius had to step up to the plate to put things back on track (Valencia had gone ahead by two goals in the first 30′).
Real Madrid is not shining
A small “break” that, however, has not significantly affected the standings. Real Madrid continues to be first, with a reassuring seven-point lead over second-place Girona
Leipzig, on the other hand, is chasing Borussia Dormtund in the Bundesliga, and a fierce duel for fourth place is looming with Edin Terzic’s yellow-and-whites. The Roten Bullen, after a narrow defeat to Bayern Munich, made up for it on Saturday by going on to win on a difficult pitch at Bochum, which they overwhelmed 4-1. Rose got the changes right, as the success bore the signatures of Openda and Poulsen, who entered in the match and both scored. The Leipzig coach in Madrid must do without only Klostermann: otherwise the squad is full and it is likely that Xavi Simons and Dani Olmo will play behind Sesko and Openda. Ancelotti is breathing as well: the only absentees, in Real’s house, are the long-suffering Courtois, Alaba and Militao.
The prediction
Qualification does not seem to be in question: the chances of Leipzig coming back from a goal down in the temple of the “Bernabeu” are negligible. Compared to the first leg, however, we might see a more eventful match, and it cannot be ruled out that Leipzig will also manage to score at least one goal this time.
The probable lineups of Real Madrid-Leipzig
REAL MADRID (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouaméni, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga; Bellingham; Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo.
LIPSIA (4-4-2): Gulácsi; Henrichs, Lukeba, Orbán, Raum; Dani Olmo, Haidara, Schlager, Xavi Simons; Openda, Šeško.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
