Real Madrid could get a much-needed European win against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday as they look to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The reigning continental champions have won three and lost the same number of their first six encounters in the league stage, leaving them in an unfamiliar position. Carlo Ancelotti’s usually relentless superstars have let their standards slip this term, but victory over Salzburg would all but guarantee them a place in the play-off round.
Madrid could have lost theirs recent final of the Spanish Super Cup with Barcelona, but they have been generally impressive since the turn of the year. The capital club have scored 19 in their last five games in all competitions and could put Salzburg to the sword at the Santiago Bernabéu, with the struggling Austrians having conceded 18 in five defeats and have just one solitary victory in the match. Champions League until now
here it is 90 minutes guide for a crucial showdown for Madrid.
Record of confrontations between Real Madrid and RB Salzburg
This is the first competitive match between Real Madrid and Salzburg.
Current form (all competitions)
|
Real Madrid |
RB Salzburg |
|---|---|
|
Real Madrid 4-1 Las Palmas – 19/01/25 |
RB Salzburg 3-0 Austria Klagenfurt – 14/12/24 |
|
Real Madrid 5-2 Celta Vigo (AET) – 16/01/25 |
RB Salzburg 0-3 PSG – 12/10/24 |
|
Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona – 12/01/25 |
RB Salzburg 2-2 Rapid Wien – 12/07/24 |
|
Real Madrid 3-0 Mallorca – 25/01/09 |
RB Salzburg 4-0 Hartberg – 04/12/24 |
|
Esportiu Minera 0-5 Real Madrid – 06/01/25 |
Hartberg 1-1 RB Salzburg – 30/11/24 |
|
country |
TV channel/live broadcast |
|---|---|
|
united kingdom |
Application TNT Sports 5, discovery+, discovery+ |
|
united states |
Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX, TUDN USA, UniMas |
|
canada |
DAZN Canada |
Madrid are already short at right-back following Dani Carvajal’s season-ending injury, but will also be without substitute Lucas Vázquez on Wednesday evening through suspension. Federico Valverde is likely to take the Spaniard’s place after being used in defense this season.
Eder Militao is also out for the season with a torn ACL and Eduardo Camavinga is absent in the middle of the park. Aurelien Tchouameni is a doubt to play against Salzburg after missing out weekend win against Las Palmas due to a leg problem.
Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric are both available after missing the Las Palmas win through suspension, while David Alaba made his long-awaited return from injury with a 14-minute cameo at the weekend.
Real Madrid predicted line-up against RB Salzburg (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Ceballos, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé
Talk of a baptism of fire for new Salzburg manager Thomas Letsch, who oversees his first competitive game in charge of the club since returning to the Bernabeu. The German briefly took charge of Red Bull in 2015 as interim boss, but has returned for good after the dismissal of old Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders as head coach.
Letsch will be without the influential Karim Konate for Salzburg’s first game of the new year, while Maurits Kjaergaard is also out through injury.
Bobby Clark, formerly of Liverpool, is a doubt for the game alongside his teammates Amar Dedic, Alexander Schlager and Daouda Guindo.
The expected line-up of RB Salzburg against Real Madrid (4-4-2): Blaswich; Morgalla, Baidoo, Piatkowski, Terzic; Yeo, Capaldo, Bidstrup, Nene; Gloukh, Ratkov.
Salzburg have been dire in the Champions League this season and could be a bit rusty on Wednesday given they haven’t played a competitive game since mid-December. Letsch has had time to work with his new squad, but he won’t be expecting any miracles in Madrid.
For all the Whites’ defensive flaws, they have been in confident spirits in the final third and could add to the scoring in midweek. Kylian Mbappe has been in excellent goalscoring form and Vinicius’ return to the starting eleven will only increase his chances of striking for Letsch’s new side.
