Real Madrid: 5 burning questions heading into Champions League semifinal second leg

Who are the super subs in the second leg?

Although this question seems relatively less important in comparison to the others, I think it’s an especially pertinent question to ask heading into the second leg of a knockout tie in the most prestigious club competition on the planet.

Because if Real Madrid and Chelsea are tied 1-1 after 90 minutes, the substitutes become the game-changers. Both teams have five changes they can make, and we’ve seen Zinedine Zidane take the cautious route when it comes to making changes. And understandably so. There’s a clear divide in quality between many of the starters and backups. For example, even if Karim Benzema is having a rough game, you never want to take him out. Look no further than the most recent Derbi to see why, in case you needed a specific example.

However, Real Madrid may need that extra juice in the attack in the second half to get the away goal they need to get past Chelsea. Who can provide a moment of magic? An inspired finish in front of goal? An extra burst for the attack?

Fede Valverde definitely comes to mind if he is available. And in the attack, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are always worth keeping in mind. We’ve seen Vini change the game in a Derbi off the bench, after all.

But there are the more buried players to consider. Isco is one. He had the go-ahead assist for Eder Militao in the recent win over Osasuna. Isco came off the bench and played very well, providing a perfect delivery for Militao after showing some slick dribbling.

You never know who the hero could be in a game like this. Someone might surprise you. But odds are, it’ll be a familiar face and a young, explosive player like Fede or Vini.