Defending Champions Real Madrid are set to begin their bid for yet another UEFA Champions League title with their opener against German outfit Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The 15-time UCL winners were boosted by the return of star midfielders Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni ahead of their fixture against the Bundesliga side on home turf.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the return of the midfield duo for the UCL opener and also clarified that defender Eder Militao, who wasn’t pictured in training on Monday, will also be available for the game. However, the Italian also revealed that the side would miss the services of forward Brahim Diaz for the game after he suffered an injury.
“Bellingham is good, just as Tchouameni is good, and Militao too for tomorrow, who didn’t train today because he needed one more day of recovery,” Ancelotti said.
“Two important players are back, but we also have the bad luck to have lost another important player (Brahim Diaz),” he added.
The UEFA will debut its revamped version of the elite European contest this year with more high-profile encounters on the card. Ancelotti opined that the motivation for the most successful side in the history of the tournament to extend their winning record in Europe was high citing the history and tradition of the side on the grandest of stages.
“We’re as excited as always, what this competition brings us, where this club has been such a protagonist for so long, and keeps being one,” Ancelotti stated.
“The Champions League is special for Real Madrid, we will try to compete until the end,” the 65-year-old said.
Veteran Dani Carvajal was buoyed by the return of the star English midfielder Bellingham and touched upon the dynamics the 21-year-old brings to the side, on and off the field.
“His return is fantastic news, for what he brings in a football sense, as well as beyond that,” said Carvajal.
“To see him in the squad again is great, we count on him,” the Spanish defender added.
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