A Real Madrid reporter admits he’s ‘freaking out’ over a line-up that Carlo Ancelotti has considered against Arsenal within the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Madrid need to overturn a 3-0 defeat from the primary leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on the Emirates Stadium last week.
Within the build-up to Wednesday’s second leg on the Santiago Bernabeu, Jude Bellingham was adamant that he and his Madrid teammates are confident of staging one other huge Champions League comeback against Mikel Arteta’s side.
Nevertheless, COPE’s Real Madrid correspondent, Miguel Angel Diaz, admits he is anxious after being told a couple of defensive line-up that Ancelotti has worked with in training before facing Arsenal.
Speaking on COPE’s El Partidazo, Diaz said: ‘I just received an eleven that I’m freaking out about.
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‘I don’t know if it is going to be the fitting one, but I get the message that tomorrow Madrid could play with Asencio at right back, Alaba at left back, Tchouameni and Rudiger, a central pairing; that Ceballos would play with Valverde within the double pivot, plus the 4 up front: Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius and Mbappe.’
Raul Asencio, who partnered Antonio Rudiger in central defence in the primary leg against Arsenal last week, has began only one game at right-back for Madrid this season.
Meanwhile, Aurelien Tchouameni, who was suspended for the primary leg on the Emirates last Tuesday, has began 16 games as a centre-back this season however the 25-year-old is viewed primarily as a defensive midfielder.
Meanwhile, one other COPE reporter, Paco Gonzalez, believes Luka Modric will keep his place in Madrid’s midfield.
‘I’m just a little surprised with the line-up Miguelito has given, very surprised,’ Gonzalez said.
‘A message said that perhaps there have been three centre-backs, but then who would take the wings? You’ll be able to say Valverde on the fitting wing as a wing-back, however it’s true that in these comebacks there are all the time some crazy line-ups.
‘When Real Madrid got here back from 5-1 down against Borussia Moenchengladbach, they played up front with Valdano, Santillana, Butragueno and Juanito, although Juanito needed to drop back to midfield because there was no room up front .
‘They were 2-0 up within the seventieth minute, and he brought on Cholo, one other striker , and took off a defender, and the opposite two goals got here with Maceda up front.
‘I don’t know the line-up he [Ancelotti] has in mind, and I don’t really consider Ceballos will play and Modric won’t.’
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