For the first time since October, Mourinho has jumped to Valdebebas lawn and has met with 24 players in the morning training. Something almost paranormal in recent times has happened today at 11:00 am. Two days for the match against Manchester, the Portuguese manager has all his players available. Only Iker Casillas, now successfully replaced by Diego Lopez, lives in the infirmary of the white team.
Real Madrid starting lineup to face Manchester United |
So, Mourinho can finally handle all possible alternatives to make the team that will face Red Devils, and the wide range of players he has at his disposal is letting him bet on his eleventh gala. The same team that won the last League at the Nou Camp (Barcelona) last season.
This means that at 8.40 pm on Wednesday, the players who will parade through the tunnel of locker room to jump to the lawn will be: Diego Lopez, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao, Xabi Alonso, Khedira, Di Maria, Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema . Mourinho's most used team with the only absence of Marcelo, still out of shape for the big battles.
Pepe is in this starting lineup. He has spent 10 days training hard and against Sevilla played 25 minutes at a high level. The other option for Sergio Ramos' partner may be Raphael Varane, but Frenchman also comes from an injury and this has made him lose options. Mourinho seems to bet on the experience and gallons of Portuguese defender.
The other change in the Mourinhos starting eleven would be to leave out Coentrao and replace him with Essien, who would play on the right back, moving Arbeloa to the left side. The same wing defenders that played in the last Classic. These two are the only variants Jose Mourinho thinks about because the midfield and the attack are more than clear.
Khedira and Alonso, who did not play a single minute against Sevilla, will handle the team, while for launching the attack will be Özil, Di Maria, Cristiano and Benzema. The German and the Argentine come in perfect phisycal conditions after resting on Saturday.
Even to form the bench, Mourinho has many possibilities. The good shape of the Real Madrid players is a headache for setting the squad. Up to five players Mourinho must discard for this Champions League game. With the completed list of attackers and defenders, it seems that Nacho and Morata will be among the killed. Marcelo, out of shape, has every chance to be the third and Albiol or Carvalho, the fourth. Moreover, Mourinho will leave out another player: Callejon or Kaka, one of them will have the last place on the bench.
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