Real Madrid will be eager to lock down the top spot in Group C of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League when they host Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow night.
Los Blancos are already through to the knockout stages of the competition, having won each of their four matches so far, and have a five-point lead over second-placed Napoli.
A win or a draw tomorrow would ensure Carlo Ancelotti & co. progress through as the group winners, irrespective of what happens in their final game against Union Berlin next month.
The injury list, though, continues to grow for Real Madrid as Luka Modric has joined the seven other casualties – Vinicius Jr., Eduardo Camavinga, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Eder Militao, and Thibaut Courtois.
It has forced Ancelotti to dip into the academy reserves and call up young talents like Nico Paz, Mario Martin, Gonzalo Garcia, and Theo Zidane, the son of club Zinedine Zidane.
There will be some changes made to the team that took the field against Cadiz last time out and here’s how Real Madrid could line up against Walter Mazzarri’s Napoli.
With Kepa Arrizabalaga still not ready, Andriy Lunin will once again get a starter in between the sticks for Real Madrid and will be eager to carry forward his good run of form.
Dani Carvajal should continue at right-back ahead of Lucas Vazquez, who will get an opportunity in the coming games with Ancelotti expected to rotate. Ferland Mendy is also expected to retain his place at left-back ahead of Fran Garcia.
David Alaba should return to the starting XI after featuring from the bench against Cadiz. He will pair up with Antonio Rudiger and try to keep the dangerous Victor Osimhen quiet, provided the latter is fit to feature.
Given the lack of resources in midfield, Ancelotti has no choice but to continue with Toni Kroos at the base of the four-man diamond formation while star man Jude Bellingham, who had tormented Napoli in the reverse fixture, starts at the tip.
Dani Ceballos is all set to make his first start of the season as one of the interior midfielders, replacing the injured Modric. Federico Valverde will be the fourth man in the middle for Real Madrid against the Partenopei.
Up top, there is simply no looking past Rodrygo Goes, who is starting to hit top form in recent weeks. The Br azilian will once again likely be paired up with Joselu in the absence of Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid Predicted XI: Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Mendy, Kroos, Valverde, Ceballos, Bellingham, Joselu, Rodrygo.
Brahim Diaz is back fit after missing the Cadiz game due to illness and he is expected to get some minutes off the bench as Ancelotti would look to give a breather to Rodrygo or Bellingham.
Gonzalo Garcia made his first-team debut for Real Madrid this past weekend and could get his Champions League bow as a late sub against Napoli while fellow academy aces Nico Paz and Mario Martin could also get some minutes in midfield.