Real Madrid and Juventus have named their teams for tonight’s UEFA Champions League league-phase showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu. Kickoff is 9:00 p.m. CEST / 8:00 p.m. BST / 3:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
Real Madrid confirmed lineup
Formation: 4-3-3
XI: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Éder Militão, Raúl Asencio, Álvaro Carreras; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler; Brahim Díaz, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior.
What it means:
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Valverde at right-back covers injury absences and adds ball-carrying thrust on the overlap.
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Asencio with Militão suggests a proactive, front-foot pairing to squeeze the pitch and keep Juventus penned in.
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Midfield balance: Tchouaméni anchors while Bellingham and Güler alternate between half-spaces; expect late runs from Bellingham to attack cut-backs.
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Front three: Vinícius holds width left, Mbappé toggles between central and right-channel runs, and Brahim links play, pressing the first pass out of Juventus’ back line.
Juventus confirmed lineup
Formation: 3-5-2 (shifts to 5-3-2 without the ball)
XI: Michele Di Gregorio; Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani, Lloyd Kelly; Pierre Kalulu, Teun Koopmeiners, Khéphren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Andrea Cambiaso; Kenan Yıldız, Dušan Vlahović.
What it means:
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Back three built for penalty-area defense and first-ball clearances; Kelly’s left-footedness helps exits down that side.
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Midfield triangle of Koopmeiners–Thuram–Locatelli balances progression and ball-winning; Locatelli screens, Thuram powers carries, Koopmeiners supplies diagonals.
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Wingbacks: Kalulu and Cambiaso must survive 1v1s versus Vinícius and Mbappé channels while offering counter outlets.
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Front two: Yıldız roams as the connector beneath Vlahović’s target presence; quick combinations aim to draw Madrid’s center-backs out.
Key battles that the lineups set up
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Valverde vs. Yıldız/Cambiaso on Madrid’s right: If Valverde can advance without leaving space behind, Madrid will stack entries into the inside-right channel for Mbappé. If Juventus flips turnovers here, Yıldız’s carry-and-slide pass becomes their best counter pattern.
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Tchouaméni vs. Vlahović knock-downs: Madrid’s No. 6 must win second balls when Juventus plays long; losing that duel opens lanes for Koopmeiners’ through-balls.
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Güler’s pocket vs. Locatelli’s zone: Güler’s first-touch angles can destabilize a compact block. Locatelli has to cut the lane to Bellingham’s late runs.
Benches and late-game levers
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Real Madrid options: Rodrygo and Endrick change the speed profile up front; Eduardo Camavinga can flip the midfield from control to carry mode; fullback rotations (Ferland Mendy/Fran García) refresh width if the game stretches.
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Juventus options: Weston McKennie adds vertical running and set-piece threat; Andrea Cambiaso can switch flanks if required; a pace winger or second striker can reframe transitions if chasing.
Tactical expectations from these XIs
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Madrid pressing cues: With Brahim leading and wingers shading inside, expect traps on Juventus’ right when Kalulu receives facing his own goal. Valverde’s timing to join that press is pivotal.
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Juventus rest defense: The visitors will protect the “golden zone” at the top of the box, inviting Madrid crosses from less dangerous angles. Quick, two-pass exits to Yıldız are the release valve.
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Set pieces: Koopmeiners’ deliveries target Kelly and Gatti; Madrid will look for Bellingham and Militão attacking near-post seams.
Kickoff details and context
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Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025
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Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
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Kickoff: 9:00 p.m. CEST / 8:00 p.m. BST / 3:00 p.m. ET
Real Madrid load the XI with ball progression and final-third craft—Güler’s ingenuity plus the Mbappé–Vinícius threat—while Juventus counter with structure, wingback discipline, and the Yıldız–Vlahović outlet. The matchup turns on who wins the right-side channel and the second-ball skirmishes around Tchouaméni and Locatelli.
