To Bergamo practically with the same people who traveled to Valladolid. That is the situation that Zidane handles barely two days after facing Atalanta in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. The French coach accumulates nine casualties: Sergio Ramos, Carvajal, Marcelo, Odriozola, Militao, Valverde, Hazard and Rodrygo, these last three worked yesterday in the gym and on the grass. To this list is added that of Karim Benzema, who will not be from the game, victim of a small injury to his adductor, and before which Zidane prefers not to risk with a view to next week's league games (Real Sociedad, Monday, March 1, and the derby against Atlético on Sunday 7, 16:15 hours). In the second session of the week, the Frenchman exercised both in the gym and on the Valdebebas grass.
Champions League
* Data updated as of February 22, 2021
Champions League
* Data updated as of February 22, 2021
Zidane will surely line up the same eleven that played against Valladolid, with Courtois; Lucas, Varane, Nacho and Mendy in the rear; Casemiro, Kroos and Modric in the center of the field, with Asensio, Vinicius and Mariano as the most advanced man. Although there is a possibility: that he introduces Isco in the center of the field, sacrificing Vinicius, who would start on the bench. It would also delay the position of Marco Asensio to help Lucas Vázquez with defensive tasks, again right back in an important game. The reason would be to slow down the capacity and potential of the Bergamo team in the center of the field. It would strengthen the central plot. The Brazilian would already enter with the advanced match.
However, another problem that Zidane faces is Casemiro: the Brazilian is warned before the match against the Italians. If he saw a yellow card, he would miss the second leg at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium. The midfielder did not play in the Whites' loss to Shakhtar in Kiev (2-0) and due to the formidable height he has shown alongside Modric and Kroos in recent games (all three have raised the level of performance this month February), has become one of the key pieces of the French coach.