Champions League 2024-2025: Arsenal-Real Madrid, the likely lineups

Tuesday night at 9 p.m. Arsenal and Real Madrid will face each other at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The return match will be played on Wednesday, April 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

In the Arsenal defense there will be no Gabriel, who Mikel Arteta will replace with Kiwior alongside Saliba. Timber and Lewis-Skelly on the flanks, Raya defending the Gunners’ posts. In front of the defense Partey and Rice will have the task of shielding the Blancos’ offensives and leaving more freedom to the Saka-Ødegaard-Martinelli trident that will act behind the offensive terminal Mikel Merino.

Carlo Ancelotti recovers Thibaut Courtois, who is expected to start behind Vasquez, Raúl Asencio, Rüdiger and Alaba, deployed somewhat’surprisingly as fullback. Valverde, Camavinga and Bellingham in midfield with Luka Modric initially on the bench, in front the trident composed of Rodrygo, Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.

Probable lineups
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ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Martinelli; Merino. All. Arteta
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Vasquez, Raúl Asencio, Rüdiger, Alaba; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior. All. Ancelotti