Arbeloa names 23-man squad for tonight’s first leg v City | OneFootball

Álvaro Arbeloa has officially announced the squad list for tonight’s crucial clash (21:00 CET) against Manchester City.

The Madrid coach faces the match with some significant absences, confirming that neither Kylian Mbappé nor Jude Bellingham have managed to recover in time from their respective injuries, which forces a readjustment of the attacking setup.

The big surprise in the squad is the inclusion of Diego Aguado. The Castilla center-back gets his chance due to the defensive absences, joining a list where academy players have an unusual prominence. Alongside him, names that are becoming regulars in the first team such as Cestero, Manuel Ángel, and Palacios also make the list.

Thiago, very likely to start

However, the name attracting all the attention is Thiago. The young midfielder has not only been called up again, but is increasingly likely to start in midfield.

His distribution skills could be the key to countering Pep Guardiola’s team’s possession on a night that promises to be electric.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU - AFP or licensors