Real Madrid kicks off their UEFA Champions League title defense on September 17. VfB Stuttgart will come to visit the Spanish capital!
Now there’s a bit of a change in how things work this time. Real will have two extra matches in the first part of the tournament because the group stage is now replaced by a league phase. So, yeah, it’s going to be busy! The packed match schedule – with games from domestic leagues, Europe, and international competitions – is causing some concerns for Ancelotti as he plans for the season.
In fact, Ancelotti has mentioned wanting to give players "unofficial holidays" after they play internationally. This way, everyone gets some rest during the long season ahead.
Recently, Vinicius Junior & Kylian Mbappe each scored a penalty as Real Madrid returned from the international break with a solid 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga. They remain unbeaten in 2024/25 so far!
But there’s a little bit of trouble, though. Meanwhile, Brahim Diaz has joined the long injury list. Ancelotti might need to shuffle his lineup against VfB Stuttgart since word has it that Brahim could be out for around three months, according to Diario AS.
Eder Militao played a full 90 minutes against La Real and got the thumbs-up from Ancelotti regarding his fitness. Still, it sounds like there will be some rotations in defense for midweek's match.
Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni are set to have late fitness tests, too. On a brighter note, Jesus Vallejo might step up for Ancelotti since David Alaba is still out for now.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting week ahead!
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