Real Madrid vs Liverpool: 3 biggest questions for Carlo Ancelotti

Should Rodrygo and Camavinga start for Real Madrid in the final?

A pivotal reason for Real Madrid being where they are this season is the fact that every single player in the squad has stepped up. The non-starters know what it means to represent the Real Madrid crest. Rodrygo and Camavinga, with their consistent performances, have moulded a solid argument to have a place in the starting eleven.

If it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t have been a place for Real Madrid in the final. Rodrygo escaped Real Madrid from a humiliating Chelsea comeback, pulling one back in the dying minutes and taking the game to extra-time. And of course, his two goals against Manchester City which led to one of the greatest Real Madrid comebacks of all time.

Camavinga too, changed the game every time he stepped on the pitch. The comebacks against PSG, Chelsea, and City started off when he was brought on. It’s not a coincidence. In total, Camavinga played 125 minutes across the three Champions League comebacks. With him on the pitch, Real Madrid scored eight goals which led them to the final and conceded just one.

They’d probably start in any other team in the world, but it’s Real Madrid we’re talking about. We’ve seen Rodrygo and Camavinga coming off the bench and as starters this season. It’s safe to conclude that they’ve been more effective off the bench. Against Liverpool, perhaps the most physical side in the world, we’re going to need players who can capitalize on the tired legs. They are those players.