Real Madrid faces Lille in the first away fixture of its Champions League title defense with some key injury concerns.
Injuries continued to plague Real Madrid ahead of its second Champions League fixture. Just when Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga returned from the sidelines, Kylian Mbappé and Thibaut Courtois picked up injuries. The Frenchman looks to have recovered from a thigh injury, having returned to training. He was pictured flying to this fixture, so looks to be in contention. But Courtois is definitely out with an abductor injury in his left leg.
Now, Carlo Ancelotti must compensate for his starting keeper being out against Lille and his main striker likely only able to play a minor role. The midfield could receive a boost, though, if the manager gives Camavinga the nod. The 21-year-old was set to make his first appearance of the season in the Madrid derby, but Ancelotti opted to keep Camavinga on the bench in the contentious 1–1 draw. The manager also revealed Mbappé could feature in the match if he is fully fit come Wednesday.
Here's what Real Madrid's XI could look like against Lille on Oct. 2.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Lille (4-4-2)
GK: Andriy Lunin–Lunin gets his first start of the season for Los Blancos as Courtois recovers from injury.
RB: Dani Carvajal–The right-back has gotten off to a slow start offensively this season and will look to be more involved in the attack on Wednesday.
CB: Éder Militão–The defender scored at the weekend against Atlético Madrid and will be a target on set pieces against a Lille team that conceded 11 goals in six matches.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger–The Germany international needs to be at his best to help his new keeper keep Jonathan David and Lille off the scoresheet.
LB: Ferland Mendy–Mendy will have the tough task of locking down Edon Zhegrova. The winger scored three goals in his last five matches.
RM: Federico Valverde–The unsung hero of Real Madrid, Valverde is Ancelotti's most well-rounded midfielder. His precise passing and defensive work-rate are two of the many reasons why the Uruguayan has started every match this season. If the manager wants to give someone a rest, though, it would be Valverde.
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni–Tchouaméni is the last line of defense in front of Los Blancos' backline. His tackling and interceptions are crucial at stifling teams in transition.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga–The Frenchman could make his first appearance of the 2024–25 season. Camavinga was an unused substitute against Atlético Madrid after recovering from a knee injury.
LM: Jude Bellingham– The midfielder needs to do a better job at linking up with Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo if Mbappé fails to start.
ST: Vinícius Júnior– The Brazilian can take advantage of Lille's weak backline to get himself going in the Champions League. Across all competitions, Vinícius Jr. has only scored three goals in ten matches.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Lille: Mbappe to Play?.
