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LILLE, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Players of Real Madrid line up as Jonathan David of LOSC Lille (not pictured) takes a penlaty during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between LOSC Lille and Real Madrid C.F. at Stade Pierre Mauroy on October 02, 2024 in Lille, France. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Real Madrid announce 19-man squad to play Liverpool – 6 key players out

Real Madrid will travel with only 19 players for their Champions League clash at Liverpool – including three goalkeepers – as six miss out with injury.

Real head to Merseyside this week for their latest meeting with the Reds, but do so without many of their most important players.

That includes Vinicius Jr., who has picked up a new leg injury, along with long-term absentees Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Rodrygo and Eder Militao.

The Spanish club confirmed their 19-man travelling squad on Monday, with one-time Liverpool target Aurelien Tchouameni also missing out.

It means Carlo Ancelotti will only be able to name an eight-man bench for the Wednesday night clash at Anfield, including two reserve goalkeepers.

Right-back Lucas Vazquez has been passed fit after missing Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leganes, but otherwise there are no positive developments.

Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and Antonio Rudiger are among the key players to have made the squad, though, while Thibaut Courtois is fit again having returned from an adductor injury at the weekend.

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid CF and VfB Stuttgart at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 17, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Ancelotti has few options at centre-back, with Rudiger likely to be partnered with one of Raul Asencio or Jesus Vallejo, neither of whom have featured regularly this season.

Ferland Mendy is expected to start at left-back having been rested on Sunday, while the return of Vazquez could free up Valverde to return to midfield.

In the absence of Vinicius Jr. it could be an opportunity for either Endrick or Brahim Diaz, both of whom came off the bench at Leganes, though Ancelotti could also move Bellingham into attack.


Real Madrid squad vs. Liverpool

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Real Madrid players pose for a team photograph prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid CF and VfB Stuttgart at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 17, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Gonzalez

Defenders: Rudiger, Asencio, Vallejo, Mendy, Vazquez, Garcia

Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Modric, Guler, Ceballos

Forwards: Mbappe, Endrick, Brahim, Gonzalo