Carlo Ancelotti plans key defensive injury return against Manchester City | OneFootball

Real Madrid will once again do battle with Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have been paired against Pep Guardiola’s charges for the fourth successive season as part of the last 16 playoffs.

Recent games between them have been titanic battles, with the duo winning the last three finals, and dominating the competition.

Real Madrid have the form edge, after ending City’s European hopes in 2022 and 2024, either side of City knocking Ancelotti out and winning a first-ever title in 2023.

A fresh meeting comes in the new playoff stage with Ancelotti and Guardiola both recovering from poor league phase campaigns.

Ahead of the fist leg in Manchester, Ancelotti is working on a new defensive plan, as he prepares to unleash David Alaba on the Etihad Stadium.

Real Madrid defender David Alaba

Image via Diario de la Escuadra

The Austrian has been eased back into action at the start of 13 months out, following surgery on an ACL injury in December 2023, and his progress is strong.

Ancelotti and the Los Blancos medical staff are confident over his readiness and the plan is to start him against City as per Diario AS.

The veteran defender has came off the bench for cameos in recent weeks and he will step that up against Espanyol and Leganes in the coming days.

An appearance against Atletico Madrid next weekend is not ruled out, but Ancelotti will make a late call, as he looks to protect him for City.

Additionally, there is the prospect of suspensions forcing Ancelotti’s hand to start Alaba, with Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni both one caution away from missing the second leg in Madrid.

Ancelotti wants Alaba ready to start both games, but he will only do so if a suspension is activated, with his experience vital to Real Madrid’s hopes of retaining their La Liga and Champions League titles in 2025.