Georginio Wijnaldum starts on Tuesday evening as captain of Liverpool in the quarter-final match in the Champions League, visiting Real Madrid. The thirty-year-old midfielder had to do it against Arsenal on Saturday with a short substitution, but returns to the starting team of manager Jürgen Klopp. The kick-off is at 9 p.m. and the match can be seen live on Football zone.
It is also striking that Diogo Jota has a basic place in favor of Roberto Firmino, who is sitting on the bench. Jota plays at the point of the attack, surrounded by wing attackers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. In midfield, Naby Keïta replaces Thiago Alcántara. In addition to Wijnaldum, Fabinho is also lined up in midfield. Liverpool’s defense remains fully intact: Alisson Becker is on target, with Andy Robertson, Ozan Kabak, Nathaniel Phillips and Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of him from left to right.
At Real Madrid, it is striking that trainer Zinedine Zidane opts for three attackers. The Frenchman has opted more often in recent weeks for deviating systems with two strikers, but now serves center attacker Karim Benzema with Vinícius Júnior and Marco Asensio from two wing tips. Furthermore, Toni Kroos, who is still a substitute on Saturday against Eibar (2-0 win), will return as a basic player. The German forms a midfield with Casemiro and Luka Modric.
Real Madrid have to do against Liverpool without permanent center-backs Sergio Ramos (muscle injury) and Raphael Varane (corona contamination), leaving Éder Militão and Nacho at the heart of the defense. The back positions are occupied by Lucas Vázquez and Ferland Mendy, while Thibaut Courtois defends the goal.
Real Madrid lineup: Courtois; Vázquez, Militão, Nacho, Mendy; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos; Asensio, Vinicius, Benzema
Line-up Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Salah, Mane, Jota