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Real Madrid logo
Copa del Rey | Semi-Finals | 1st Leg
Mar 2, 2023 at 8pm UK
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
Barcelona logo

Real Madrid
0 - 1
Barcelona


Junior (24'), Nacho (55'), Valverde (73')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Militao (26' og.)
Raphinha (45'), Gavi (51'), Kessie (66'), Xavi (90+1')

How Real Madrid could line up against Barcelona

How Real Madrid could line up against Barcelona
© Reuters
Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Real Madrid could line up for Thursday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg with Barcelona.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will be working around the absences of two players for Thursday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ferland Mendy is yet to recover from the thigh injury he sustained in the quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid, while Rodrygo and David Alaba were forced withdrawals against Liverpool last week.

Alaba's hamstring problem will certainly keep him out, but Rodrygo (glute) has managed to make the squad and will be in contention to play, albeit maybe not from the first whistle.

With Alaba and Mendy both sidelined, makeshift left-back Nacho Fernandez will attempt to keep Raphinha quiet, while Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao will partner up in front of Thibaut Courtois, who was named in the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World XI on Monday, despite losing the Goalkeeper Award vote to Emiliano Martinez.

Dani Carvajal should keep Lucas Vazquez out of the team at right-back, but alterations should arrive in midfield, where Luka Modric and Aurelien Tchouameni were both substitutes against Atletico at the weekend.

Modric is suspended for this weekend's clash with Betis and should therefore start this one over Dani Ceballos, while Tchouameni - who has now recovered from flu - should join the Croatian and Toni Kroos in the trident.

Federico Valverde could therefore be pushed forward into the right-wing role over Marco Asensio, as Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema - who did not attend FIFA's The Best ceremony on Monday, despite being up for The Best Men's Player award - complete the attack.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Kroos, Tchouameni, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr

> Click here to see how Barcelona could line up for El Clasico

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How you voted: Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Real Madrid
74.2%
Draw
10.5%
Barcelona
15.3%
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Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni during the warm up before the match on September 3, 2022
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