Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Real Madrid could line up for Saturday’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti now faces a not-so-difficult decision in goal for Saturday’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Los Blancos bid to conquer the continent for the 15th time without David Alaba (ACL) and Aurelien Tchouameni (foot), but no more players have picked up injuries since the dramatic semi-final beating of Bayern Munich.
However, shot-stopper Andriy Lunin – who has well and truly earned his keep in this year’s competition – has recently been struggling with flu, which will supposedly force him to make alternative travel arrangements to London so as not to infect the rest of the squad.
Ancelotti had faced calls to keep faith with Lunin over Thibaut Courtois, now back to full health after his knee troubles, but the four-time Champions League-winning manager now has a good reason to side with the Belgian.
In the absence of the versatile Tchouameni, captain Nacho Fernandez – expected to leave when his deal expires this summer – is set to link arms with Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal at the back, where the latter could make history alongside one of his Blancos teammates.
Victory for Ancelotti’s side would see Carvajal and Luka Modric equal Francisco Gento‘s all-time record of six Champions League titles as a player, but the Croatian veteran should watch on from the bench initially, as Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga support Toni Kroos in his last game for Los Blancos.
Ex-Dortmund star Jude Bellingham features just ahead of the triumvirate as ever, and in spite of Joselu‘s astonishing semi-final heroics versus Bayern, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior will link arms in the final third from the off.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
> Click here to see how Dortmund could line up for the final
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