Madrid Bold Shuffle: Seven Absences Push Monaco Clash to the Limit

Arbeloa's first Champions League challenge.

Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid's coach, announced the squad for Tuesday's encounter with Monaco in the Champions League.

Among the absences are: Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo Goes due to injuries, Ibrahim Diaz who is with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Álvaro Carreras who is suspended.

This will be Arbeloa's first Champions League match as Real Madrid's coach, taking over from Xabi Alonso.

Madrid's squad for the game was named as follows:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Fran Gonzalez.

Defenders: Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Raul Acensio, Fran Garcia, Din Hoissen.

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Dani Ceballos, Fortuno, Mesonero.

Forwards: Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, Gonzalo García, Franco Mastantuono.

Madrid sit seventh in the Champions League group with 12 points, while Monaco sit nineteenth with 9 points.

Punchline 1: Seven injuries, nine players on the bench—Madrid's lineup looks like a misprint with a medical caution tape.

Punchline 2: If this is a starting XI, the tactics sheet just filed for a survival reality show.