Champions League line-ups: Real Madrid vs. Milan | OneFootball

Milan start Rafael Leao, Christian Pulisic and Alvaro Morata in the Champions League showdown with Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, facing Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

It kicks off at the Estadio Bernabeu at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game, Lille-Juventus and Bologna-Monaco on the Liveblog.

The Rossoneri had a dismal start to the season, but did finally get off the European scoreboard with their 3-1 win over 10-man Club Brugge.

Rafael Leao was dropped for the last three consecutive Serie A games, though he returns with Pulisic and Morata.

The surprise is the introduction of Yunus Musah on the right side of that Milan supporting trident, dropping back into midfield when needed to protect Emerson Royal against Bellingham and Vinicius.

Fikayo Tomori also returns in defence for Milan, though Matteo Gabbia, Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi are injured.

Real Madrid’s French forward #09 Kylian Mbappe hugs Real Madrid’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti during the UEFA Super Cup football match between Real Madrid and Atalanta BC in Warsaw, on August 14, 2024. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images)

Real Madrid had their own problems recently, suffering a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Barcelona and then seeing Saturday’s game against Valencia postponed due to the devastating floods.

Their Champions League defence hasn’t been great either, losing 1-0 away to Lille, while beating VfB Stuttgart 3-1 and coming back from 2-0 down to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2.

The club also boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in protest at Vinicius Junior finishing runner-up to Rodri, so he has a point to prove this evening.

Mbappé is flanked by the Brazilian with Bellingham in a more advanced trequartista role, because Rodrygo is only fit for the bench after a hamstring problem.

Luka Modric therefore steps into midfield, while David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois are injured.

Real Madrid vs. Milan line-ups

Real Madrid: Lunin; Lucas Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Modric; Bellingham; Mbappé, Vinicius

Real Madrid bench: Fran Gonzalez, Sergio Mestre, Camavinga, Rodrygo, Arda Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Dani Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Brahim

Milan: Maignan; Emerson Royal, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Musah, Pulisic, Leao; Morata

Milan bench: Sportiello, Torriani; Calabria, Pavlović, Terracciano; Loftus-Cheek; Abraham, Camarda, Chukwueze, Okafor

Ref: Vincic (SVN)

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