Real Madrid manager Ancelotti planning major line-up experiment for Arsenal game

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti declared on Tuesday that he did not believe that his job was on the line in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal. However tasked with overturning a 3-0 deficit, the Italian manager is set to shake things up from a first leg where they were dominated.

Ancelotti spoke about having control of the game in his pre-match press conference, while Jude Bellingham also appeared confident before the game. Asked what he would be telling his players before the match, Ancelotti perhaps hinted that he was considering a shift against Arsenal.

According to Cadena Cope, Ancelotti is considering a major reshuffle, as he tries to shake up the tie. With Aurelien Tchouameni back from suspension, he will move to centre-back, allowing Fede Valverde to return to midfield alongside Dani Ceballos, who is now back from injury. Valverde’s spot would be filled by Raul Asencio at right-back, maintaining the front four.

At left-back, they also back David Alaba to continue up against Bukayo Saka, despite many predicting Fran Garcia to come back into the side.

It is certainly a risky strategy, even if there is some logic behind it. It would mean a back four of three central defenders and a midfielder, and a midfield with Ceballos starting for the first time since coming back from injury since late February.

That was against Real Sociedad, and one of the rare occasions that Asencio has been used out of position at right-back, an experiment that lasted just 45 minutes, albeit not due to his performance, as per Ancelotti. Tchouameni has also been heavily criticised for his performances in defence this season too.

It would be a way of getting Valverde back into midfield though, and also improving their ability to play out from the back, while maintaining a solidity that has evaded Los Blancos with Lucas Vazquez in the line-up.