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Shaktar Donetsk Vs Real Madrid: The Starting 11

The upcoming match against Shaktar Donetsk is an away game in the Champions league match day 5. The last Real Madrid game was against Alaves which was the worst performance of the season. This was pathetic display in every department leading to a dismal loss. It was the 1st home defeat to Alaves in 20 years, says volumes about the teams display. The team had 20 shots, of which 9 were on target and only 1 goal which meant the intensity in attack was totally missing.

The team rating for the match against Alaves can be found here: Team Rating

This is the fifth game of the group stage and Real have no option but to win this for their fans and for themselves and to keep their chance of progression alive.

Looking at the

Injury list:
  1. Ramos
  2. Odriozola
  3. Valverde
  4. Hazard
  5. Carvajal
Suspended:
  1. None

Just recovered:

  1. Militao
  2. Benzema
Practiced:

The rest of the players are available for selection. 

Skipped Practice:
  • None
Coach Comments:
  • There is no explanation.
Other Comments:
  • Again there is no designated right back available. 

Squad Updates:




This will be the fifth game of the Champions league season and Real had one of the worst performances, if not the worst after one fine performances just before this match and with several players missing due to injury, Zidane is clueless. Forwards have sold their scoring boots it seems, defence is in total disarray, and mid field is lacking structure and no one seems to know his role. Goal keeper is doing errors after error, in the last two games 6 points have been lost due to keepers errors. But now its time to improve, this game is almost do or die and would decide the chances of progressing to next round. Madrid needs to win this at any cost.

Shaktar has a very pacy attack and their counters are too good. So, Real will have to be extremely careful.

In the goal Courtois will have to start, he has been very poor in the last few games, his errors have cost several points but he has to recover. Things can only go better from this abyss. 

Mendy has to start on the left as Marcelo is no longer an option, Marcelo is lazy, neither contributes in the defense nor does any offensive contributions. Carvajal and Odriozola are now injured again so there is no right back available, so, Lucas Vazquez might have to start. Nacho and Varane will start as the center backs, as Ramos is injured. So Mendy, Varane, Nacho and Lucas Vazquez should start. Defence has been poor but signs are positive when Marcelo is not playing. Hopefully there would not be any more errors.

Modric has been good and should start. Real needs to get the control back in the mid field. Casemiro was not great in all the previous games, and should start but he needs to improve more. Kroos, Modric, Casemiro and Ødegaard should start. And Isco will start from the bench.

The forwards have been mis-firing even now, Benzema has returned to train with the team but no Jovic. Hazard is eternally injured and not available to start. Vinicius was not in any sync last game but was still better than Asensio. Asensio has become more a midfielder than an attack minded player and he should only be seen as a substitute. Rodrygo was not great but seems like the only one performing. So  Benzema and Rodrygo should form the front line.

As there are 5 substitutions available, ZZ should think for more rotations in the second half.

The probable substitutions will be: 

Modric > Asensio
Ødegaard > Isco
Varane > Militao
Kroos > Vinicius
Benzema/Rodrygo > Mariano

So the formation would be 4 4 2 and with the changes it should transition to 4 3 3

The most probable kit to be used for the game will be the home kit !!!





So the final starting 11 will be:






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