Bayern coach Tuchel makes three changes for Madrid showdown
By AFP
May 8, 2024 11:39 PM
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel brought Serge Gnabry and starlet Aleksandar Pavlovic into his side to face Real Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League semi-final second leg clash.
The German coach made three changes from the side that earned a 2-2 first leg draw against the record 14-time winners, including dropping veteran Thomas Mueller and midfielder Leon Goretzka.
Tuchel also selected Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, fit again after a knee injury, to replace Kim Min-jae who gave away a penalty against Madrid at the Allianz Arena.
Defensive midfielder Pavlovic, 20, has burst into the limelight this season and was called up by the German national team for the first time in March, while Gnabry is fit to start after a muscle injury.
England striker Harry Kane leads the line for Bayern looking to add to his remarkable tally of 44 goals in 44 games this season across all competitions.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti brought Dani Carvajal back from suspension in his only change from the first leg.
The Italian rotated heavily at the weekend when his team secured the Spanish league title with a win at Cadiz, but restored his first-choice side for the mouthwatering Santiago Bernabeu battle.
The coach selected Carvajal at right-back in for Lucas Vazquez, who struggled in Bavaria against Jamal Musiala.
Ancelotti's other big decision was who should partner Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the defence and he opted for captain Nacho Fernandez, as in the first leg.
Up front Vinicius Junior, who netted twice in the first leg and Rodrygo Goes are backed up by the club's top scorer this season in Jude Bellingham.
Starting line-ups:
Real Madrid (4-4-2)
Andriy Lunin; Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho (capt), Ferland Mendy; Aurelien Tchouameni, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo Goes, Vinicius Junior
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (ITA)
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1)
Manuel Neuer (capt); Joshua Kimmich, Matthijs de Ligt, Eric Dier, Noussair Mazraoui; Konrad Laimer, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala; Harry Kane