With many injured, including their providential man Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid travels to Leipzig on Tuesday in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League in a first European test, after an almost perfect first part of the season.
Win without Bellingham. This is the challenge for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who, according to the Italian technician, have just produced “the best match” of their season on Sunday by crushing their runner-up from Girona (4-0), thanks in particular to a double from the English prodigy, released hit in the ankle.
Author of a perfect group stage in C1, completed with six victories in six days and leader of Liga, Real Madrid will have to find a way to shine without their new Galactic, with an impressive ratio of 20 goals in 29 matches since his arrival. last summer for 103 million euros.
Vinicius back “on top”
The Brazilian Vinicius Junior (left), spearhead of the Madrid attack, will be back on Tuesday in the Champions League against Leipzig. / OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP
In Leipzig on Tuesday, the Madrid club will fortunately be able to count on the return to form of its will-o’-the-wisp Vinicius Junior, author of six goals in his last eight matches and untenable on the attacking front.
“When he is at this level, he is the best player in the world” praised his coach Carlo Ancelotti after the Brazilian’s technical demonstration against Girona (4-0), where Vinicius was involved in the first three goals.
In a season complicated by injuries and extra-sporting stories, the Auriverde international was present in the big meetings, such as in the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Barça (4-1) or in the confrontations with Naples and Braga in C1.
He will try to improve his honorable record of 12 goals and 7 assists in 21 matches in all competitions against a German team in full doubt (5th in the Bundesliga with only one victory in its last five outings).
“World record for injured defenders”
RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose during training on Monday, on the eve of the Champions League home match against Real Madrid. / Odd ANDERSEN / AFP
German coach Marco Rose nevertheless declared that his team had “no fear” against the Spanish giant, holder of the record for titles in C1 (14).
“We’re not afraid at all, we’re looking forward to it. This is what we want. This is what we worked hard for last season and what we fought for in the groups,” he explained.
“The fact that we are outsiders is not worth taking into account, because football matches must be played,” warned the Leipzig coach, who had notably upset the reigning champion Manchester, to the press. City in pools.
Belgian Lois Openda, pictured here on February 4 after his Bundesliga goal against Union Berlin, is RB Leipzig’s main offensive asset, along with his friend Benjamin Sisko. / Ronny Hartmann / AFP
The pairing of Benjamin Sesko – Lois Openda, both scorers in their team’s last three matches, will try to defeat a Madrid defense in tatters, due to the injury absences of Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger and Nacho.
“I think we have broken the world record for injuries to central defenders,” Carlo Ancelotti quipped on Sunday.
If the presence of Rüdiger in the starting lineup seems unlikely, Madrid hopes to be able to register the return of its captain Nacho, five times winner of the competition, alongside French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, forced to move back a notch.
