Real Madrid: 5 players who must shine against Shakhtar Donetsk

Real Madrid RW Marco Asensio

Marco Asensio didn’t start against Cadiz, and that was a mistake. The Real Madrid attacking midfielder is the best option for Los Blancos on the right side of the attack, as he can cut inside and score on his left or create for other players.

Asensio was a game-changing substitution against Real Valladolid, winning five dribbles in 33 minutes and doing the work for Vinicius Junior’s goal. He can have a huge say on Real’s match against Shakhtar this Wednesday, and he is becoming a must-start due to his individual quality and positional importance to the team.

Real Madrid CF Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema really needs to step up. He finally scored a couple of weeks ago against Levante, but his finishing has been off so far this season. Luka Jovic could start against Shakhtar, but it’s honestly a lot more likely for Zinedine Zidane to roll with Benzema again. When has Benzema ever been benched?

And benching Benzema isn’t the answer. He needs rest from time to time, but that doesn’t seem to be the issue here. The issue seems to be with how the team are playing and a slump in form in front of goal. Because his dribbling and effort have still been there. Hopefully, he can turn it around against Shakhtar this week with El Clasico on the horizon.