Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make a big decision on Tuesday when he deploys his starting line-up for a Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabeu.

The Germans were, of course, Los Blancos’ foe in the Wembley final, which the latter won to claim an unprecedented fifteenth title in Europe’s premier club competition in June. Ancelotti expects the visitors to stick to their principles despite some personnel changes over the summer.

At his pre-match press conference, the Italian said Dortmund maintains “the idea of ​​intense football, good and with good individualities”.

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

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

“We struggle more in a possession game because we don’t have players who have characteristics of playing in small spaces. They can take advantage of the open field. We are focused on better defending, that is the key to this season.” The team is less solid in that respect and we are working on that,” the manager explains.

Madrid may be lucky to beat Celta Vigo 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday, but Madrid will field a side with some notable changes from that match, when they faced the continent some four days before El Clasico .

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

Central defenders Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger keep theirs, as does Lucas Vazquez at right-back, but Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are on the bench.

This is partly due to Ancelotti switching from a 3-4-2-1 last time out to a 4-3-3.

There is only room for one pivot, Luka Modric, and the in-form captain provides support for the slightly more advanced Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde.

Up top, Ancelotti ensures there is room for all of Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo, from left to right.

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