2023-12-11 20:57:55
Real Madrid reaches the last day of the group stage of the Champions League in a privileged situation. Having certified first place in their bracket after defeating Napoli at the Santiago Bernabéu a couple of weeks ago, Carlo Ancelotti’s team visits the Olympiastadion with the incentive of the possibility of closing the league with a full victory for the third time. in its history. The final obstacle for the whites to achieve this objective is represented by Union Berlin, which after gaining oxygen with the arrival of Croatian Nenad Bjelica on the bench but already eliminated, inevitably needs the victory to speed up its remaining options to compete in Europe. League.
Within a calendar that barely offers a breath, it is difficult to imagine that Real Madrid will find in the coming months a more favorable match for Ancelotti to show off his wardrobe than the one presented to the Italian coach this Tuesday. With nothing at stake other than prestige, the financial prize that accompanies each victory in the highest continental competition and the pride that would come with completing an immaculate group stage, thus matching the pristine journey that the now fourteen-time king of Europe completed in the campaigns 2011-12 (with José Mourinho on the bench) and 2014-15 (under the aegis of Carletto), the clash is presented as a perfect scenario when it comes to managing breaks and adding soldiers to the cause after a league tie against Betis that Real Madrid assumed with philosophy given the entity of the green and white team, the attractive game played at the Benito Villamarín and the notable results achieved in the first third of the season.
The duel in Heliópolis intensified an unexpected debate in goal when Real Madrid recruited Kepa in response to Courtois’ long-term absence, but logical in view of the great performance that Lunin is offering since the Basque goalkeeper was injured in the warm-up. prior to the match against Braga at the beginning of November. However, the one from Ondarroa will take back the gloves at the Olympiastadion, a venue where Spain will debut in the European Championship in Germany against Croatia and also the venue for the final scheduled for July 14.
Nacho, a starter in four of the five Champions League games played, will enter the axis of the defense, which would allow Ancelotti to give Rüdiger a rest. Born in Berlin, the former Chelsea player has completed 92.5% of the possible minutes with his club so far this season and continuing to increase his mileage could leave him without gas. Fran García, unprecedented in the last three appointments, may have an opportunity to vindicate himself like Ceballos, far from his optimal condition, and Joselu, lacking confidence. That would allow Bellingham and Rodrygo to be dosed, essential in thunderous events.
With an eye on the Europa League
Bjelica cannot afford such luxuries. Once a notable piece in that Albacete that Benito Floro turned into the ‘Mechanical Cheese’, the Croatian, who also passed through the ranks of Betis and Las Palmas, was the emergency solution when Union Berlin decided to kill Urs Fischer after a catastrophic streak of twelve defeats in thirteen games. The change of direction seems to have had an effect. Bjelica made his debut in charge of the Steelers, getting a valuable draw from the Braga Municipal Stadium and later defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga.
After succumbing in their first three appearances in the Champions League, those draws in Portugal, together with the draw that Union Berlin achieved against Naples at the Diego Armando Maradona, are what give a ray of hope to the modest team from the German capital to achieve a passport to the Europa League. To do this they would need to beat Real Madrid and for Braga, which has two more points, to fall against Napoli on Partenopean soil.
-Probable alignments:
Union Berlin: Ronnow, Roussillon, Diogo Leite, Knoche, Juranovic, Khedira, Haberer, Gosens, Volland, Hollerbach and Behrens.
Real Madrid: Kepa, Lucas Vázquez, Nacho, Alaba, Fran García, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Ceballos, Brahim and Joselu.
Referee: Rade Obrenovic (Slovenia).
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Estadio: Olympic Stadium.
TV: Movistar Champions League.
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