Real Madrid hosts Red Bull Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday in a Champions League clash that could significantly impact their path to the knockout stages. A victory for Los Blancos would bring them closer to securing a playoff spot, while Salzburg looks to salvage pride in a challenging campaign.
Match Details
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
- Date: Wednesday, January 22
- Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
- Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
- VAR: Dennis Johan Higler (NED)
Current Form
Real Madrid
- Recent Results:
- 4-1 vs Las Palmas (La Liga)
- 5-2 vs Celta Vigo (AET) (Copa del Rey)
- 2-5 vs Barcelona (Supercopa de Espana)
- 3-0 vs Mallorca (La Liga)
- 5-0 vs Deportivo Minera (Copa del Rey)
- Key Strengths: Madrid has been lethal in attack, scoring 19 goals in their last five games across all competitions.
RB Salzburg
- Recent Results:
- 3-0 vs Austria Klagenfurt (Austrian Bundesliga)
- 0-3 vs PSG (Champions League)
- 2-2 vs Rapid Wien (Austrian Bundesliga)
- 4-0 vs Hartberg (Austrian Bundesliga)
- 1-1 vs Hartberg (Austrian Bundesliga)
- Key Weaknesses: Salzburg has conceded 18 goals in their five Champions League losses and has struggled to find form in Europe.
Team News
Real Madrid
- Unavailable Players:
- Dani Carvajal: Out for the season (injury)
- Lucas Vazquez: Suspended
- Eder Militao: Out for the season (ACL tear)
- Eduardo Camavinga: Injured
- Aurelien Tchouameni: Doubtful (leg issue)
- Returning Players:
- Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric are back from suspension.
- David Alaba returned from injury with a cameo against Las Palmas.
Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Ceballos, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe.
RB Salzburg
- Unavailable Players:
- Karim Konate: Injured
- Maurits Kjaergaard: Injured
- Amar Dedic, Alexander Schlager, Daouda Guindo, and Bobby Clark are doubts.
- Manager Update:
Thomas Letsch takes charge for the first time since returning to Salzburg.
Predicted Lineup (4-4-2):
Blaswich; Morgalla, Baidoo, Piatkowski, Terzic; Yeo, Capaldo, Bidstrup, Nene; Gloukh, Ratkov.
Match Prediction
Salzburg’s struggles in the Champions League, coupled with their lack of competitive matches since December, leave them vulnerable against a confident Real Madrid side. With Kylian Mbappe in excellent form and Vinicius Junior returning, Madrid’s attacking prowess could overwhelm the Austrian outfit.
Prediction: Real Madrid 5-1 RB Salzburg
Key Players to Watch
- Real Madrid:
- Kylian Mbappe: The Frenchman has been prolific, scoring consistently in recent weeks.
- Vinicius Junior: His pace and creativity will add another dimension to Madrid’s attack.
- RB Salzburg:
- Gloukh: Salzburg’s creative spark in midfield.
- Nene: A versatile player who could influence the game on the wings.
Conclusion
Real Madrid is expected to dominate this encounter, leveraging their home advantage and superior firepower. Salzburg faces an uphill battle, and while they may find the net, it’s unlikely they’ll keep pace with Los Blancos.
