No surprises: Zinédine Zidane and Thomas Tuchel bet on three-center defenses Tuesday night in the Champions League semi-final first leg between Real Madrid and Chelsea (9:00 p.m.), but decided to start Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud on the bench.
On the Real Madrid side, Zidane ensures: in the absence of Sergio Ramos (injured left calf and affected by Covid-19), the French technician has chosen to renew the experience of a three-center defense, with Raphaël Varane surrounded by Nacho and Eder Militao, according to the compositions unveiled by UEFA. The midfielder Casemiro - Kroos - Modric does not change, and it is Vinicius, author of a resounding double in the quarter-final first leg against Liverpool, who will accompany Karim Benzema in attack. Eden Hazard, who returned from a right groin injury just in time to face his former team, will start the match on the bench.
With the Blues, Andreas Christensen will accompany Antonio Rüdiger and the former captain of Paris SG Thiago Silva in central defense.
The presence of N'Golo Kanté and Jorginho in midfield was expected, in the absence of Mateo Kovacic (adductors).
They will be accompanied by Cesar Azpilicueta and Ben Chilwell on the wings.
In front, it is the formidable London trio Mason Mount - Timo Werner - Christian Pulisic who will officiate at Valdebebas, and Olivier Giroud will start on the bench.
The eleven of Real Madrid:
Courtois - Carvajal, Militao, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo (cap.) - Casemiro, Kroos, Modric - Benzema, Vinicius.
The Chelsea eleven:
Mendy - Rüdiger, Thiago Silva, Christensen - Chilwell, Jorginho, Kanté, Azpilicueta (cap.) - Mount, Werner, Pulisic.
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