Real Madrid has their biggest test of the season next week in the form of a Champions League quarter-final matchup against Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions are the top team in Europe this season, and are a formidable force, dismantling any team they face off against. Alvaro Arbeloa has his men playing some of their best football just in time for this matchup, however, he will have to deal with six players on a short leash, who are all one yellow card away from missing the second leg.
Heading into the marquee matchup, Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Dean Huijsen, and Alvaro Carreras are all sitting on a yellow card, and will be walking a thin line to avoid getting booked again and missing the second leg, which could ultimately cost the team the tie when all is said and done.
Real Madrid has six players on a short leash against Bayern
For Real Madrid, losing any of these players for the second leg would no doubt be a worse case scenario. Not only are all six players key players in Arbeloa's team, the second leg is on the road at the Allianz Arena, meaning Real would have to face the best team in the world, in their house, while potentially missing one or more of their star players.
The players Real absolutely could not afford to be suspended for the second leg would be Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, and Aurelien Tchouameni. The two attackers are the main goal threat for Los Blancos and are the only players who bring the chance of matching the output of Bayern's attacking trio of Luis Diaz, Harry Kane, and Michael Olise, which is the biggest matchup heading into the two legs. As for Tchouameni, the Frenchman has been playing his best football of his Real Madrid career and has been the centerpiece in Arbeloa's midifield and is crucial to the balance the manager has found with his midfield.
The two legs will be the biggest test that has come upon Arbeloa during his time as interim manager. He coached masterclasses against Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the previous rounds, but neither of those teams are on the level we've seen from Bayern this season. Arbeloa has his side hitting their stride at the perfect time, but he'll be on eggshells, hoping he won't lose any of his players for the all important second leg.
This will be the 29th and 30th time Real and Bayern have faced off against each other in the Champions League, with Los Blancos taking 13 wins to Bayern's 11, with four draws between the two. The clash of these two giants is the most played Champions League matchup and is the ultimate European clasico, one fans always look forward to watching.