Real Madrid line up for a crucial Champions League second-leg clash against Arsenal with Federico Valverde returning to the midfield. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has made tactical changes for the home leg at the Santiago Bernabeu as his side aims to overturn a difficult 3-0 deficit from the first leg of the quarter-final.
Veteran midfielder Luka Modric finds himself on the bench for this must-win match, as Valverde takes up his usual midfield role after being deployed at right-back in the opening leg. Lucas Vazquez now fills that right-back position. Aurelien Tchouameni is back from suspension and slots into midfield in place of the unavailable Eduardo Camavinga, who is banned for the second leg.
Real Madrid’s attacking line remains unchanged, featuring their star-studded front four: Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo Goes. With these attacking threats, Ancelotti hopes to spark a memorable comeback in front of the home crowd. The club, with 15 Champions League titles to its name, faces a huge challenge to stay alive in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has decided not to make any changes to the side that claimed a convincing win at the Emirates Stadium last week. Despite the availability of Ben White, who returns from injury, the defender starts on the bench. Jorginho is not included in the squad, while Thomas Partey is fit enough to retain his spot in midfield.
Declan Rice, fresh from scoring twice via free kicks in the first leg, starts again alongside Partey. Mikel Merino, who also scored in London while filling in as a striker, continues in that role. Arteta’s decision to stick with the same starting XI shows confidence in a side that has already delivered a strong performance.
Starting XI – Second Leg, UCL Quarter-Final:
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Raul Asencio, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba; Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (ITA)
Arsenal (4-2-3-1):
David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Mikel Merino
Coach: Mikel Arteta (ESP)
Match Official: Francois Letexier (FRA)
