UPDATE: Real Madrid's official lineup for the game has been published.
COPE journalist Miguel Angel Diaz reported this Tuesday that Real Madrid will deploy a Casemiro-Toni Kroos double pivot in the midfield, clearly suggesting that Luka Modric will finally come off the bench.
Parece que Casemiro y Kroos, doble pivote.
— Miguel Ángel Díaz (@miguelitocope) March 6, 2018
Diaz tweeted last night that Lucas Vazquez was also going to start in a 4-4-2 formation, so it looks like Vazquez and Asensio could be on the wings —if not Bale— with Benzema and Ronaldo playing upfront.
Keep in mind that for the moment this is only a report, although a reliable one coming from a journalist who leaked Real Madrid’s starting lineup for the opening leg played at the Santiago Bernabeu three weeks ago.
If Diaz is right, Real Madrid would play the following starting XI:
Navas, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Vazquez, Asensio, Ronaldo, Benzema.
Los Blancos would have a deep bench with Bale, Isco and Modric ready to play and completely change the course of the game if needed.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Date: 03/06/2018
Time: 20:45 CET, 02:45pm EST, 11:45am Pacific.
Venue: Parc Des Princes, Paris, France.
Available TV: FOX Sports 1 (USA), BT Sport 2 (UK), Antena 3 (Spain).
Available Streaming: FOX Sports GO (USA), Fubo.TV (EVERY Real Madrid game with a high-quality and legal stream, click here to sign up and benefit from a winter discount for new members and Managing Madrid readers).