Real Madrid Predicted Starting XI vs. PSG in the first leg of the Champions League

Real Madrid will travel to the Parc des Princes to take on PSG in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, and surely they have not forgotten the embarrassment they suffered the last time they played at this venue.

Already, Los Blancos have enough bad memories to erase in 2022. They lost to Getafe, then to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey. And this weekend, Real dropped more points, drawing Villarreal 0-0 due to a myriad of missed chances and another woeful first half performance.

Madridistas will hope Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy, two crucial starters, will be able to return to the starting lineup this Tuesday night against PSG.

Here is a look at the predicted starting XI for Real Madrid at PSG in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.

GK Thibaut Courtois

Not much to say here, other than the fact that Thibaut Courtois will have his hands busy. Nobody should underestimate PSG’s attack, regardless of the fact that they have not hit the heights that were expected of them.

LB Ferland Mendy

This is subject to change, but I tentatively expect Ferland Mendy to make a push to play. There is no other option at the left back position, other than shifting David Alaba over, which seems to be something Carlo Ancelotti would rather avoid. Miguel Gutierrez isn’t in the first-team picture, and that’s unlikely to change at the last minute in the Champions League. So the only other option besides Mendy at left back is Marcelo. As we saw with his disasterclass against Samuel Chukwueze, Marcelo cannot start a match of this magnitude against PSG’s attacking quality.

CB David Alaba

David Alaba will be one of the most important players on the pitch for Real Madrid. They will need him to inject calm on the ball, push up the pitch when necessary, and continue to put his body on the line to make blocks, in addition to his usual savvy interceptions. A big-game player, Alaba must be elite if Real are to survive this first leg without a loss.

CB Eder Militao

As good as David Alaba has been in his first season with Los Blancos, Eder Militao has been Real’s best center back. That is a testament to the level he has reached in his first full season as a starter. Militao has built on his promising displays to close the 2020-2021 season, and it will be exciting to see how he does against Kylian Mbappe.

RB Dani Carvajal

After a positive return to the starting lineup against Granada last weekend, Dani Carvajal was rather poor at Villarreal, offering very little in the attack. That cannot be repeated against PSG. Carvajal must be at his best defensively to give Real a chance, and he must also provide adequate support in the attack for the right winger. His importance to Real’s Champions League chances cannot be underestimated.