The Bernabéu puts first place at stake
Real Madrid receive Inter without Benzema and with Vinícius as a reference
MADRID, 6 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid faces this Tuesday against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu (9:00 p.m. / Movistar Champions League 1) a duel between historic players for the first place in Group D of the Champions League, in which both, with the ticket to the eighth already achieved, they will try to guarantee a more affordable crossing in the qualifying rounds.
The duties are done, and now those of Carlo Ancelotti, who dominate the group (12) with two points of advantage over the Italians (10), want to finish the job to avoid ‘coconuts’ in the draw next Friday, in which Yes, they would find the fearsome Paris Saint-Germain, second in Group A, among their possible opponents. A draw would be worth them to achieve it.
With their victory last Saturday in a complicated setting like the Reale Arena (0-2), the Whites have chained eight consecutive wins and 11 games without losing in all competitions, showing a magnificent state of form that allows them to lead the domestic championship with eight points of advantage over the second, Sevilla -with one game less-.
Now, they will try to transfer their good form to Europe. “It is a prestigious match. We play against a team that is doing very well, playing football well. We play first place, in our stadium and in front of our fans. It will be interesting,” Ancelotti warned at a press conference.
The Italian coach, unfavorable “to rotate for rotate” despite the frantic pace of the match every three days, has bet heavily in this first section of the course for an eleven that will be forced to change due to the muscular discomfort that Karim Benzema felt in Donosti.
Without the ‘9’, the leadership will pass to a Vinícius who is showing his best face since his arrival in Chamartín; he dares, faces and has been more decisive than ever, especially in LaLiga. Marco Asensio and Serbian Luka Jovic, who took advantage of his opportunity against Real Sociedad scoring and assisting, could accompany the Brazilian in attack.
Opposite, Inter Milan attends the meeting in a spectacular state of grace, endorsed this weekend with José Mourinho’s win against Roma (0-3), and wanting to ‘vendetta’ after succumbing to the Madridistas in the distant duel of Giuseppe Meazza on the first day (0-1).
That was one of the only two defeats suffered this season by those of Simone Inzaghi – in addition to the league against Lazio in mid-October (3-1) -, who have added eleven consecutive games without kneeling and four victories in the last four days of Serie A.
The transalpine coach will not be able to count on one of his fittest players, the Argentine Joaquín Correa, ruled out due to a muscle injury in his left thigh that occurred at the Olímpico in the Roman capital. Thus, his compatriot Lautaro Martínez, substitute against the Romans, and the Bosnian Edin Dzeko will be in charge of bringing danger to Thibaut Courtois’ area.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Casemiro, Kroos, Valverde; Asensio, Vinícius and Jovic.
INTER: Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic; Lautaro Martínez and Dzeko.
– REFEREE: Felix Brych (ALE).
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
– TIME: 21.00 / Movistar Champions League 1.