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Champions League holders Real Madrid will square off against 2021-22 Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Super Cup at Helsinki Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, August 10.
The traditional curtain-raiser for the 2022-23 UEFA club competition season will mark the two clubs' first competitive meeting since the 1960 European Cup final. Real Madrid won the match 7-3 and will look to secure another convincing victory this time around.
Los Blancos, who are awaiting the commencement of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign, are coming into the match on the back of a 2-0 friendly win over Juventus. Frankfurt, on the other hand, suffered a demoralizing 6-1 defeat at the hands of German champions Bayern Munich in their Bundesliga opener on Saturday, August 6.
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Los Merengues do not have any injury concerns ahead of the match and should be able to field their strongest XI.
On that note, here are the 11 players who could start in Real Madrid’s first competitive game of the 2022-23 season:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois, the hero of the 2021-22 Champions League final, is an automatic choice between the sticks.
He has been firing on all cylinders since the 2019-20 season and there is practically no chance of Carlo Ancelotti snubbing him for this season’s first encounter.
He made some smart saves in the clash against Juventus and should be up for another impressive performance in the UEFA Super Cup.
Right-back: Dani Carvajal
Having started the first two friendlies on the bench, Dani Carvajal returned to the starting XI against Juventus.
He looked sharp, committed, and battled with the Bianconeri before being replaced in the 63rd minute.
Carvajal, who scored in the 2016 Super Cup final, is slowly and steadily getting back to his best, and Ancelotti is unlikely to throw a spanner in the works.
Centre-back: Eder Militao
Since joining from Porto in 2019, Eder Militao has established himself as one of the most integral members of the team.
Militao featured in all three of Los Blancos’ pre-season games, and save for a costly mistake against Barcelona, he was rock-solid at the back.
The Brazilian centre-back is unlikely to be penalized for his mistake and should be one of the first names on the team sheet against the German outfit.
Centre-back: Antonio Rudiger
Ancelotti is not someone who is known for shuffling the pack too much. However, he might make an exception to give fans a glimpse at the club’s new signing Antonio Rudiger.
The former Chelsea centre-back looked at home in Madrid’s pre-season matches and would be buzzing to start on Wednesday.
The injection of aggression he brings could prove to be pivotal against a spirited Frankfurt team.
Left-back: David Alaba
Before Alphonso Davies burst onto the scene in 2019, David Alaba was Bayern Munich’s go-to left-back.
Known for his superb work rate, intelligence, and attacking acumen, Alaba managed to help the Bavarians at both ends of the pitch.
With Rudiger in the team, the Whites can afford to use Alaba as a left-back again, starting with their UEFA Super Cup clash against Frankfurt.
Defensive midfielder: Casemiro
Real Madrid may have splurged €80 million to bring Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco this season. But the Frenchman's eye-watering transfer fee might not be able to win him a starting place ahead of Casemiro.
The five-time Champions League-winning Brazilian has a knack for turning up in big games and is likely to get the nod in the first final of the season.
Tchouameni could still make his competitive debut, but it might not come before the second half.
Central midfielder: Luka Modric
2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric is a modern-day anomaly.
Despite being on the wrong end of 30, the Croat continues to get better with every passing day, producing one important performance after another.
The 36-year-old was one of Los Blancos’ standout performers in the Champions League campaign last season.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him produce something brilliant again on Wednesday.
Central midfielder: Toni Kroos
Luka Modric’s partner in crime, Toni Kroos, is the metronome of Ancelotti’s Madrid.
He sets the tempo of the match, circulates possession, and dispatches long-range efforts whenever he gets the chance.
Kroos is integral to the way Madrid play and is unlikely to miss out on the first big game of the 2022-23 season.
Right-winger: Federico Valverde
Despite having Rodrygo and Marco Asensio at his disposal, Ancelotti deployed Federico Valverde on the right flank in the 2021-22 season.
The Uruguayan repaid the coach’s faith with a string of invaluable performances, the best of which came in the Champions League final against Liverpool, as he assisted Vinicius Junior’s winner.
With a fruitful pre-season campaign under his belt, Valverde could be the automatic pick on the right-wing on Wednesday.
Centre-forward: Karim Benzema
Scoring 15 Champions League goals in 12 matches, Karim Benzema fired Los Blancos to glory in the 2021-22 season.
He is the unabashed focal point of Madrid's attack, without whom the entire team looks directionless.
The France international scored twice in two pre-season appearances for Real Madrid and should be one of the first players Ancelotti picks for Wednesday night's encounter.
Left-winger: Vinicius Junior
From being criticized for his misses to firing his team to Champions League glory with a tidy finish, Vinicius has come quite far.
The electrifying left-winger is the definition of pace, power, and perseverance, and could turn out to be a handful for Frankfurt.
His link-up play with Benzema could be key in unlocking the Frankfurt defense at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
Also Read: Predicting the best player in each of the top 5 European leagues this season (2022-23)
