The Real Madrid visit today Atalanta in the first leg of the round of 16 Champions conditioned by the plague of injuries and by his two eliminations in a row in this instance. Zinedine Zidane It has only 11 outfield players from the first squad and had to use six homegrown players to complete the call for the most important game of the season.
The white team connects two consecutive seasons falling badly in the round of 16 and the goal in Bergamo is to achieve a result that allows you to reach the turn in the Di Stefano with chances of getting into the top eight. Madrid have not stepped on the quarterfinals since 2018, when they eliminated PSG on the way to its third consecutive continental winding.
For the return (March 16) Zidane hopes to have vital parts such as Benzema, Hazard, Valverde or Bouquets, but the French coach does not have time for regrets because tonight all the attention is focused on a Atalanta that arrives with high morale.
With the notable absences of Benzema and Ramos, two capital footballers in the Zidane, the white team will determine their chances of obtaining a positive result from their experience in the Champions and to the defensive solidity exhibited in the last games. Thibaut Courtois chains 312 minutes with his unbeaten goal, Varane Y Nacho mix better and better in the defense axis and the midfield formed by the undisputed Casemiro, Kroos Y Modric it is presented as the greatest competitive guarantee for Real Madrid in Bergamo.
Doubts in the attack
The great uncertainties in the white team come up front, where predictably the same trident will form in the starting eleven that tiptoed through Pucela: Asensio, Vinicius and Mariano. Between the three they have six goals this season and will try to fill the void left Benzema. Isco It is the only ace up Zidane's sleeve if the coach bets on the four-midfielder system.
Real Madrid players, during their training at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo
The team of Gasperini It comes at a sweet time and as one of the most powerful and versatile attacks in the big leagues. Only Inter Y Bayern average more goals per game than the Atalanta, which unlike Madrid has the infirmary almost empty: it only causes sick leave due to injury Hateboer. The great doubt in the bergamasco box is to know if Gasperini will bet on eleven for Ilicic, Shoe Y Muriel or leave one of the three on the bench