Key Real Madrid player ruled out of Bayern Munich return leg | OneFootball

Real Madrid have an uphill task against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final, as they try to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the Allianz Arena. The gradient has been sharpened a little more by the absence of key midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

Going into the game, Los Blancos had a total of seven players at risk of suspension, and will be grateful that none of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham picked up another booking. Yet Tchouameni did in the first half, cutting across the back of Michael Olise, and clipping him as he looked for a return pass after 35 minutes. It means the Frenchman will serve his suspension next week in Bavaria.

‘I didn’t do anything’ – Aurelien Tchouameni

Speaking after the match, Tchouameni complained that the decision to book him was injust.

“For me, it’s not a yellow card. I didn’t do anything, I was just running… And with all the fouls that happened before, it’s unfair,” he told Marca. He would not be drawn on his potential replacement for next week’s showdown.

“Do you really think I’m going to answer that? We have a great team, and whoever comes on will do very well. We’re going out to win in Munich.”

Bellingham could well come back into the side in his place, causing a reshuffle in midfield, while Eduardo Camavinga is perhaps the more natural replacement positionally. Dani Ceballos could return from injury in time, but Jorge Cestero and Manuel Angel, Castilla products, seem just as likely to feature.

Bayern Munich escape without suspensions

While the five Real Madrid players who also took part at the Bernabeu managed to avoid bookings, so did the two Bayern Munich players at risk of missing the second leg. Vincent Kompany’s side picked up four bookings in total, but Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano both kept it clean, and will be available next week.