Real Madrid Vs. Borussia Dortmund Champions League Lineup: Ancelotti Makes A Big Call

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make a big call when deciding his starting line up for a Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

The Germans were of course Los Blancos' foe in a Wembley final which the latter won to lift an unprecedented 15th title in Europe's premier club competition, and Ancelotti expects the visitors to stick to their principles despite some personnel changes over the summer.

At his prematch press conference, the Italian said that Dortmund maintains "the idea of intense football, [to] play well and with good individualities".

"They are a demanding opponent, they have only recently played the Champions League final against us," he added.

Above all, Ancelotti wants a "back and forth match" which is "good for us" because he has "players with those characteristics".

"We have more difficulty in a possession [based] match because we do not have players with characteristics of playing in small spaces. They can take advantage of the open field. We are focused on defending better, it is the key to this season. The team is less solid in this regard and we are working on this," the manager explained.

Perhaps lucky to win 2-1 against Celta Vigo on Saturday in La Liga, Madrid will field a side with some notable changes compared to that match when they run out on the continent some four days out from El Clasico.

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While Thibaut Courtois is again the goalkeeper, left back Ferland Mendy reclaims his spot from Fran Garcia.

Center backs Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger keep theirs, as will Lucas Vazquez at right back, but Aurelien Tchouameni is benched.

This is in part because Ancelotti switches from a 3-4-2-1 last time out to a 4-3-3.

There is only room for one pivot, which is Eduardo Camavinga, and the young Frenchman provides support to a slightly more advanced Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde.

Up top, Ancelotti makes his biggest call at the expense of captain Luka Modric.

It sees Rodrygo return to the first XI on the right wing, as Kylian Mbappe is the central number 9 in the middle of the Brazilian and compatriot Vincius Jr.

Real Madrid First XI Vs. Borussia Dortmund: Courtois; Mendy, Rudiger, Militao, Vazquez; Tchouameni, Bellingham, Valverde; Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo