The Champions League resumes today on the way to the final at Wembley on June 1 with the first leg of the round of 16 in two games with clear favorites in the qualifiers. Real Madrid visit Germany to face Leipzig and Manchester City, the reigning champions, fly to Denmark to play Copenhagen, possibly the weakest of the hyped rivals.
Madrid, who have just taken a considerable lead in La Liga with victory against Girona, go to Germany without their best player, Jude Bellingham, who is out for three weeks. He also has significant problems in defense, where he has recovered Nacho, but not Rüdiger, the player who, until he was injured, had played the most minutes of the entire white team.
Toni Kroos spoke at the pre-match press conference, but the German, whose contract expires on June 30, did not want to reveal whether he is ready to renew, what the club wants and has Madridism on hold, or hangs up the boots already this June. He also did not say whether he will return to the German national team to compete in the European Championship.
Kroos, quite active on social networks but austere in press appearances, showed personality and assured that he is fine, but that he is the one who sets the times. His idea was to play until the age of 32 and this January 4 he turned 34. He also separated his future from that of Luka Modric, who at the age of 38 finds it difficult to continue.
Kroos also took heart from the massive boos he received from the crowd at the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh. “I was not surprised. They just confirm to me that what I had said was the right thing.” He always said that it should not be played in this country because of the lack of respect for human rights.
Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga in a very irregular campaign. After three consecutive defeats in their championship, they ended the bad streak with a win against Union Berlin, but last weekend they struck again by not getting past the draw (2-2) against Augsburg , a game he could have won because he missed a penalty in added time.
The team from the state of Saxony lost their goalscorer, Timo Werner, in the winter market, but for the appointment they have recovered their Spanish star, the Catalan Dani Olmo, and the Dutchman Xavi Simons, who passed for the Farmhouse. Right now he lives mainly on the goals of his two strikers: Benjamin Sesko and Loïs Openda.
The absence of Bellingham is the main headache for Ancelotti. In his press conference and against his custom, he did not want to reveal anything about the eleven he is preparing: “We have won four out of four without them. I prefer to talk about those who are there than those who are not there. Brahim may be an option. I also consider Joselu. Leipzig is a very powerful team in the air, but I’m not so concerned about the centimeters as much as their transitions. I take into account that they have scored 16 goals in transition. They have Olmo, which you know well. There are many quality players at Leipzig. Carvajal has played very well in central. Maybe I’ll keep it.” With this option, Tchouaméni would strengthen the midfield. He also did not want to say whether Lunin will play tomorrow, as seems likely, or Kepa.
