In a repeat of the UEFA Champions League final in June, Real Madrid will once again face German club Borussia Dortmund in Europe’s elite football competition, this time in the league phase.

After a 2-0 win at Wembley Stadium in the summer, the two teams will meet at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, October 22, kick-off at 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET).

After the surprising 0-1 defeat against Lille in their last Champions League game, Real Madrid wants to get back on their feet and climb back up the table. Los Blancos responded well domestically, winning 2-0 against Villarreal and securing a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend, but now need to avoid their first Champions League home defeat in 90 minutes since September 2021.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has no new injury worries but will have to make a decision about the system he uses after experimenting with a back three in defense on Saturday. The shape raised more questions than it answered: Celta Vigo exploited the gaps between the back three and the two full-backs, and the experienced coach could return to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 shape against Nuri Şahin’s Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund are currently at the top of the Champions League standings, thanks in part to their 7-1 win over Scottish club Celtic in their last European Cup game. Domestically, however, Dortmund have had bigger problems as they suffered two defeats in their first seven games, leaving them seventh in the Bundesliga.

Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund team news

Ancelotti will make no changes to the squad he had available for Saturday night’s win against Celta Vigo. The good news for the Italian is that several players who suffered a knock before the international break, including Éder Militão, Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé and Thibaut Courtois, were all fit and played either the full 90 minutes or just over.

This means that only those players who have already been on the sidelines for some time will be missing for this game, such as David Alaba, who is out long-term, and Brahim Díaz, who could return in the next few weeks.

Saturday’s win in Galicia was also the first of many games without vice-captain Dani Carvajal, who has now undergone successful surgery following a serious knee injury. Lucas Vázquez took his place and is expected to do the same against Dortmund.

Predicted line-up of Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund

Expected Real Madrid line-up against Borussia Dortmund: Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vázquez, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy; Aurélien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior.

Ancelotti is expected to revert to a 4-3-3 shape, meaning Rodrygo Goes returns to the attack alongside Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, who both scored against Celta Vigo on Saturday.

The toughest decision will probably be who moves out of midfield and that man could be Eduardo Camavinga, with Aurélien Tchouameni likely to be preferred in the striker position. The other change could see Ferland Mendy return to the left-back position he made his own before Fran García.