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A first for Real Madrid: Álvaro Arbeloa etches his name into Champions League history by beating Bayern Munich

Needing a win at Bayern Munich to keep their season alive, Real Madrid turned to a historic starting XI selected by manager Álvaro Arbeloa.

For the first time in Real Madrid’s Champions League history, the starting line-up contained no Spanish players. From the 1–2 defeat the previous week, Arbeloa dropped centre-backs Dean Huijsen and Thiago Pitarch.

Instead, he paired Eder Militao with Antonio Rüdiger at centre-back and inserted Jude Bellingham in central midfield beside Federico Valverde. Overall, Arbeloa made four changes from the first leg.

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Ferland Mendy, sidelined for much of the season with injury and with only six appearances to his name, came in for Álvaro Carreras, who had struggled to contain Michael Olise in the first leg. Brahim Díaz also earned a start as Arbeloa’s attacking lineup went all out.
For Real Madrid, and for Arbeloa in particular, Wednesday’s second leg against Bayern Munich is do-or-die. Ahead of the match, Bellingham described it as a “final” and a “do-or-die game”.

AFP
Real Madrid face a trophy-less season – Arbeloa is also fighting for his job against Bayern
For Real Madrid and Bellingham, this is a last stand to salvage a season that has been a disaster in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Trailing Barcelona by nine points with only seven La Liga matches left, the title chase is effectively over, and their Copa del Rey campaign ended in a second-round upset against Albacete. That defeat marked the first game under Arbeloa’s command after Xabi Alonso resigned following the Supercopa final loss to Barca.
According to Bellingham, Tuesday’s trip to Munich represents the final opportunity to “make people forget all the bad things from the season”. Key midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni was suspended, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois continues to recover from a muscle tear. Defender Raúl Asencio missed out with a stomach bug.
Los Blancos have not won in three matches, further jeopardising Arbeloa’s position.
Elimination in Munich could cost him his job, so he adopted a defiant tone before the clash: “We had plenty of chances and conceded very little. Now we’re heading to Germany full of conviction to win there and, if necessary, to die.”