REAL MADRID – LIPSIA | Wednesday 9pm
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, who took home the Champions League last season, know no other result than victory. Until now, the Italian coach’s team, in official matches this year, has always won. And they seem to have no intention of breaking this streak, especially in the cup that has always been the Blancos’ natural habitat. Nor has Benzema’s absence been felt at Madrid for the time being: the French striker, who went off a week ago during the match against Celtic, will not be there against Leipzig either. No matter, Ancelotti has come up with Hazard as a false nine and will play him again from the first minute against the Germans.
On the other hand, the home defeat against Shakhtar on their debut cost the Leipzig coach dearly: the club gave Tedesco the boot by taking Rose, who made a great start in the Bundesliga by beating Borussia Dortmund three-nil. A clear signal that a shake-up was needed, even if the calendar is certainly not benevolent to the new coach, as he will now have to meet perhaps the most in-form team in Europe as well as reigning champions. In the meantime, Rose decided to make a small tactical shift that benefited the team: immediately a four-man defence and probably goodbye forever to the three-man back pack. It will continue in this way too.
Marco Rose, new Leipzig coach
The Prediction
There should be no doubt about it: Real Madrid will win the match, conquering yet another affirmation of their season. A match that should also provide at least three goals in total
Real Madrid v Leipzig matchday squad
- REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Hazard, Vinicius.
- LIPSIA (4-2-3-1): Gulacsi; Simakan, Orban, Diallo, Raum; Laimer, Schlager; Nkunku, Forsberg, Szoboslai; Werner.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
