Real Madrid are playing the pass to the quarterfinals without Casemiro, but with Benzema. The nursing scene has changed a lot for Zinedine Zidane in the twenty days that have elapsed since the first leg in Bergamo, where the whites won with a goal from Mendy. Then, the Madrid expedition traveled to Lombardy with nine casualties, only 13 players from the first team available (including two goalkeepers) and six homegrown players. Of the latter, only Altube (usual third goalkeeper of the team) and Hugo Duro remain for the return.
From one game to another, Zidane has recovered Ramos, Militao, Marcelo, Valverde, Rodrygo and a Benzema in a state of grace. Odriozola, Carvajal and Hazard (the Belgian, in a round trip signing) are still injured and Mariano joins them. Neither will Casemiro, who must serve a penalty game for the yellow that he saw in Italian lands, his third warning in this edition of the Champions League.
The French coach has called up 19 players for the second leg this Tuesday at the Di Stéfano. The alignment of the white coach presents many doubts, from whether he will repeat the drawing with three centrals that he had from the start against Elche to whether he will opt for Valverde or Kroos to occupy Casemiro's position. Although it can be taken for granted that the two will form in the center of the field with Modric.
Possible alignment of Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid-Atalanta
The possible eleven that Zidane can line up in the game against Atalanta is made up of: Courtois; Nacho, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Modric; Lucas Vázquez, Benzema and Asensio or Vinicius. On the bench, for the five possible changes there will be eight players: Lunin, Altube, Militao, Marcelo, Isco, Rodrygo, Hugo Duro and Vinicius or Asensio. Mendy is perceived and will miss the first leg of the quarterfinals if he sees the yellow and Madrid qualify.