Real Madrid will go for the win against Atalanta despite injury problems
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Real Madrid will face Atalanta in the first leg of the Round of 16 tie of Champions League in Italy. Despite having several players out due to injury , Zidane has said that he would settle for nothing but a victory against his Italian opponents.
Real are missing nine first-team players including captain Sergio Ramos, Eden Hazard,Valverde and Benzema but have managed to overcome their injury problems in recent league matches, winning their last four outings. Karim Benzema is Madrid’s highest goal scorer with 12 goals and Casemiro, the defensive midfielder is a distant second at 5 goals.
Real Madrid are without their No.1 striker Benzema
Zidane has named his 17 man squad for the fixture and it includes only 11 first team outfield players. The inexperience in the squad is evident as 5 Castilla players have been included for the trip.
“We’re focusing on the players we do have available and we’re going to prepare the game well and try to win it. We’ always go out on to the pitch to win, we never accept anything else,” Zidane told a news conference on Tuesday.
“I know there’s a second leg to come but we’re only focused on tomorrow’s game. We want to keep up our run of form and we know how difficult the game will be but we’re concentrated and committed to putting in a good performance.”
Zidane added that there was “no reasonable explanation” for the club’s litany of injuries. Real Madrid will rely on their star studded midfield trio of Kroos, Modric and Casemiro to bail them out once again in the Champions league.
Zidane drew similarities between this Atalanta side and the 2018 Ajax side which knocked Madrid out of the Champions league at the same stage of the competition. “A very attacking team, physically strong who do many things well,” were Zidane’s thoughts on Atalanta.
Also Read : Bayern Munich thrash Lazio 4-1 in the 1st leg of Round of 16
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