Real Madrid host Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu on Tuesday with one foot in the Champions League final as they look to protect a 2-1 advantage.
Both sides were hit by injuries in last week’s clash at Allianz Arena. Arjen Robben and Jerome Boateng will both miss the second leg for Bayern, while Dani Carvajal and Isco are absent for the hosts.
With enforced changes to both starting XI’s, new protagonists could rise to the stage, so we take a look and compare players in positions we think will be crucial.
MARCO ASENSIO V JAMES RODRIGUEZ
James Rodriguez can expect a warm reception as he returns to Santiago Bernabeu for the first time since his summer departure.
If he produces a performance akin to his showing in the Allianz last Wednesday, however, the home fans will turn decidedly bitter.
The Colombia playmaker was Bayern’s stand-out star in the first-leg defeat, buzzing around the pitch with vigor and verve.
On the backfoot, he was positionally mature, diving into to make a Munich joint-high of four tackles while in attack his four key passes was the most in the game.
The 26-year-old has little to prove having enjoyed a career renaissance on loan at Bayern, but there will no doubt be extra zip in his step.
Another key performer in Munich was substitute Asensio. The Spain international forms part of the reason why James was allowed to leave Madrid on loan, with his emergence handing Zidane another lethal weapon.
He could well mirror James and operate as a No10 in behind a Real front two and as he showed in delicately delivering the winner last week, his left-foot is capable of inflicting damage.
Beyond his finishing ability, Asensio’s pace, particularly as Madrid will sit back and counter, is a vital asset.
The 22-year-old gives Real much-more cutting edge and remarkably since the start of last he has scored against Barcelona (two), Bayern (two), Juventus (one), Sevilla (two) and Valencia (two).
He’s a big-game player and they don’t come much bigger than this.
LUCAS VAZQUEZ V JOSHUA KIMMICH
Cover in defence has been an issue all season for Madrid.
Casemiro has dropped in at centre-back, Nacho’s operated in practically every backline position while teenager Achraf Hakimi has endured a baptism of fire in his first senior season.
So when right-back Dani Carvajal was forced off last week, it was a case of not again for Zinedine Zidane.
Vazquez dutifully dropped in to fill the void and is likely to continue in the position at the Bernabeu.
The 26-year-old (no, he is not a promising young star as commentators frequently blinded by his boyish looks note) will have his hands full as the 35-year-old Franck Ribery was a real danger in Munich.
Much of Bayern’s attacks are likely to be focused on Real’s right as they aim to exploit the perceived weakness, but Vazquez has been a trusted servant for Zidane this season.
But while right-back could be a frailty for Real, the opposite is true for the German giants.
Kimmich blasted in the opener last week and with Madrid left-back Marcelo’s slack nature from a defensive perspective, he would be afforded more opportunities in the Spanish capital.
He’s already plundered three times and added a further three assists in the Champions League this term – absurd numbers for a full-back – and if the Philip-Lahm reincarnate can break free to take advantage of the space again, Bayern will be right in the tie.
CRISTIANO RONALDO V ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
Ronaldo and Lewandowski are the two figureheads of their respective sides but both were equally poor in the first leg.
The Poland striker has been lethal this season, scoring 39 goals, but he missed a couple of opportunities last week he would usually gobble up with ease.
He spurned a clear chance with a tame header straight at Keylor Navas and was largely anonymous throughout.
If this was his big audition to earn a summer switch to Real, he bombed it. The 29-year-old will be desperate to make amends, and having scored six times against Madrid in the Champions League – the top scorer against Los Blancos in the competition – history is on his side.
Talking of history, Ronaldo is creating plenty of it this season.
His 152nd Champions League game on Tuesday will see him set a record for the most appearances by an outfield player in the competition – only Iker Casillas (167) has played more.
The Portuguese is also the tournament’s highest scorer with 117 goals plundered and ever the ultimate competitor, he’ll want to make amends for last week’s no-show.
A victim of Zidane’s 4-1-4-1 starting shape in Munich, the 33-year-old was left painfully isolated and registered the same number of touches as half-time sub Asensio.
He can expect significantly more support with Gareth Bale rumoured to be starting on Tuesday.
