Carlo Ancelotti has a plan to deal with Jude Bellingham being ruled out.
Real Madrid will have to make do without Jude Bellingham for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with RB Leipzig.
The England midfielder sprained his ankle in the weekend win over Girona, ruling him out for at least a couple of weeks.
Since arriving in the summer, Bellingham has been a central figure in Carlo Ancelotti’s 4-4-2 diamond formation but this will not be his first absence of the season and the Real coach has previously been well prepared with an alternative.
Brahim Diaz has replaced Bellingham on each previous occasion and should start in Germany.
Meanwhile, Madrid also have an injury crisis in defence to contend with. Antonio Rudiger will miss out, along with long-term absentees Eder Militao and David Alaba.
Nacho Fernandez is expected to return however, after Dani Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni formed a makeshift central defensive partnership against Girona.
Leipzig have almost a fully-fit squad to pick from, including captain Willi Orban after his recent return from a knee injury.
However, Amadou Haidara is a doubt after returning from Mali’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a knee problem.
Predicted RB Leipzig XI: Gulacsi; Simakan, Klostermann, Orban, Raum; Simons, Schlager, Kampl, Olmo; Sesko, Openda
Doubts: Haidara
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Vazquez, Carvajal, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga; Diaz; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
Injuries: Bellingham, Alaba, Militao, Rudiger, Courtois