Karim Benzema has been named in the Real Madrid team to face Liverpool in the Champions League
Real Madrid have announced their squad for the crucial UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg tie against Liverpool, and while it includes Karim Benzema who only resumed training yesterday, it is still missing some key names for Los Blancos.
Benzema passed fit for Liverpool
Real Madrid travel to Liverpool hoping to continue their recent dominance over the Merseyside side after beating them in last season’s UCL final.
In their travelling squad, they have named Benzema who only trained yesterday after missing Saturday’s 2-0 win over Osasuna in LaLiga as he fully recovered from an injury.
He missed the weekend’s fixture after coming off against Elche in Real Madrid’s midweek game, and was rested against Mallorca in order to be fully fit for the Liverpool match.
Los Blancos will be happy to have their talisman back, after struggling several times without him this season.
They have lost three of the 13 matches he has missed so far this season, compared to only two losses in the 23 matches he has played.
The rest of Real Madrid’s squad for Liverpool
Although Real Madrid will celebrate the return of Benzema, they will still be without some key individuals, namely Toni Kroos and Aurelin Tchouameni who have not passed the fitness test for the Liverpool trip.
They will also be without Ferland Mendy who recently returned to first-team training but still lacks the sharpness required for a crucial UCL fixture.
On a positive note, Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Rodriguez could be in line to make his UCL debut after earning a place on the squad following a superb cameo in Los Blancos’ last match.
The 18-year-old Uruguayan striker came off the bench to assist Real Madrid’s second goal in the 2-0 victory against Mallorca and is held in high regard by the players and staff at the club, so he might get some minutes when Los Blancos play at Anfield.
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