REAL MADRID named their team to take on Liverpool over TWO HOURS before kick off.
The two sides meet in a rematch of last year’s Champions League final in a mouthwatering last-16 encounter.
The Spanish giants went early on releasing team news, doing so on Twitter exactly two hours and four minutes before kick off at Anfield.
And some fans on social media were surprised by the selection of Rodrygo, with Dani Ceballos expected to have been given the nod.
One wrote: “Madrid is wrong not to play with the four midfielders…!!! I preferred Ceballos or Kroos in the midfield not Rodrygo…!!!”
Another added: “I was expecting Ceballos instead of Rodrygo, a brave bet.”
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Former Arsenal man Ceballos has started the last five La Liga games in a row but is only good enough for the bench this evening.
Rodrygo has played up front recently while Karim Benzema has been dealing with an injury.
The Frenchman returns to the team against Liverpool, but Rodrygo also keeps his place in the XI.
Thibaut Courtois starts in goal for Real Madrid, looking to repeat his heroics from last year’s final against the Reds.
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Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Eder Miliatao and David Alaba have been named at the back.
Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde appear set to play in the middle, with Rodrygo, Benzema and Vinicius Jr up front.
However, another option would have been for Valverde to play out wide instead of Rodrygo and keep Ceballos midfield, with Toni Kroos originally expected to be missing through illness.
However, Kroos was a late addition to the matchday squad after initially not being named in the travelling party.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Ferland Mendy remain sidelined through injury.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
