Date: Thursday 17th January, 2024
Time: 9:30 pm
Stadium
Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez (Spain)
Goal Scorer:
Atletico Madrid
Thomas Lemar and Vitolo are out injured for Diego Simeone’s team. Reinildo Mandava is unavailable because he is on international duty. Meanwhile, Memphis Depay and Pablo Barrios’s involvement will depend on their level of fitness.
Simeone won’t be making wholesale changes to the XI that lost to Real Madrid. He will stick to the 3-5-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. The three centre-backs will be Axel Witsel, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Mario Hermoso. They will look to keep things tight at the back and they will have the support of Nahuel Molina and Samuel Lino, who will feature as the wing-backs.
Rodrigo De Paul will start alongside Koke and Saul Niguez in the centre of the park. The trio will look to dictate the pace of the game and ensure Real Madrid midfielders do not end up dominating proceedings. As far as the attack is concerned, it will be the in-form duo of Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Hermoso; Molina, De Paul, Koke, Saul, Lino; Morata, Griezmann
Real Madrid
While there are concerns over the fitness of Aurelien Tchouameni, he is expected to be back in time for this fixture. But, Carlo Ancelotti still might not risk him from the start. Real Madrid will once again be without the services of Lucas Vazquez alongside three of their players who fell victim to ACL injuries: Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and David Alaba.
Ancelotti will stick to the same formation (4-4-2 midfield diamond), and the majority of the personnel used will also be the same. Kepa Arrizabalaga will be benched for Andriy Lunin as confirmed by the manager.
Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will continue as the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, Antonio Rudiger will pair up with Nacho Fernandez. The four will look to keep things tight at the back and give their team a solid base to push from.
Eduardo Camavinga will replace Tchouameni in the starting XI as the defensive midfielder. He will start alongside Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde. The trio will look to make sure they outnumber the opposition in the centre of the park with the help of Jude Bellingham who will feature as the attacking midfielder.
Rodrygo Goes will most likely start on the bench as Ancelotti will look to rotate and start Joselu alongside Vinicius Junior.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Fernandez, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Joselu, Vinicius Jr.
Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid
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