Champions League Injury News: A Comprehensive Overview

The UEFA Champions League is upon us, and with it comes the thrilling excitement and nail-biting suspense of high-stakes football. However, this season is not without its challenges. Teams across Europe are grappling with injury crises, forcing managers to make difficult decisions about their starting XIs. This article brings you the latest injury updates and predicted lineups for the upcoming matches, powered by Rotowire, ensuring you're up-to-date on all the action.

Atalanta v Real Madrid

The highly anticipated clash between Atalanta and Real Madrid promises an electrifying atmosphere at Gewiss Stadium. Atalanta will be missing key players due to injury: Juan Cuadrado (thigh), Giorgio Scalvini (sprain), and Gianluca Scamacca (knee) are all ruled out. Davide Zappacosta (calf) remains doubtful. Meanwhile, Real Madrid faces a significant setback with the absence of David Alaba (knee), Eduardo Camavinga (thigh), Dani Carvajal (knee), and Ferland Mendy (strain). Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo are both doubtful, adding further uncertainty to Carlo Ancelotti's lineup decisions. The suspense builds as both teams grapple with key player absences, leaving their respective strategies open to interpretation.

Expected Lineups

• Atalanta: GK Marco Carnesecchi; CB Berat Djimsiti, CB Sead Kolasinac, CB Odilon Kossounou; LM Matteo Ruggeri, CM Ederson, CM Marten de Roon, RM Raoul Bellanova; AM Mario Pasalic; ST Charles De Ketelaere, ST Ademola Lookman

• Real Madrid: GK Thibaut Courtois; LB Fran García, CB Raúl Asencio, CB Antonio Rüdiger, RB Lucas Vázquez; CM Federico Valverde, CM Luka Modric, CM Aurélien Tchouaméni; AM Jude Bellingham; ST Vinícius Jr., ST Kylian Mbappé

Bayer Leverkusen v Internazionale

The BayArena in Leverkusen will host the exhilarating encounter between Bayer Leverkusen and Internazionale. Leverkusen has injuries to contend with, including Amine Adli (ankle), Victor Boniface (thigh), and Jonas Hofmann (thigh). Patrik Schick's calf injury casts a shadow of doubt over his participation. Internazionale, on the other hand, will be without Francesco Acerbi (thigh), Raffaele Di Gennaro (finger), and Denzel Dumfries (illness). Alessandro Bastoni and Benjamin Pavard are also doubtful, introducing an element of unpredictability to Simone Inzaghi's team selection.

Expected Lineups

• Bayer Leverkusen: GK Lukas Hradecky; CB Piero Hincapié, CB Jonathan Tah, CB Edmond Tapsoba; LM Alejandro Grimaldo, CM Robert Andrich, CM Exequiel Palacios, CM Granit Xhaka, RM Jeremie Frimpong; ST Nathan Tella, ST Florian Wirtz

• Internazionale: GK Yann Sommer; CB Alessandro Bastoni, CB Yann Aurel Bisseck, CB Stefan de Vrij; LM Carlos Augusto, CM Hakan Çalhanoglu, CM Davide Frattesi, CM Piotr Zielinski, RM Matteo Darmian; ST Mehdi Taremi, ST Marcus Thuram

Brest v PSV Eindhoven

The Stade municipal de Roudourou will be the stage for the clash between Brest and PSV Eindhoven. Brest faces a significant challenge due to several key injuries and suspensions, including Ludovic Ajorque (suspension), Soumaila Coulibaly (hip), and Pierre Lees-Melou (lower leg). Romain Faivre and Kenny Lala are both doubtful, further complicating their selection choices. PSV Eindhoven, conversely, will be without Sergiño Dest (knee), Couhaib Driouech (ankle), and Adamo Nagalo (shoulder). The absence of these players could significantly impact both teams' approaches to the game.

Expected Lineups

• Brest: GK Marco Bizot; LB Massadio Haidara, CB Brendan Chardonnet, CB Julien Le Cardinal, RB Luck Zogbe; CM Hugo Magnetti, CM Mahdi Camara, CM Edimilson Fernandes; FWL Romain Del Castillo, ST Abdallah Dipo Sima, FWR Mama Baldé

• PSV Eindhoven: GK Walter Benítez; LB Matteo Dams, CB Olivier Boscagli, CB Ryan Flamingo, RB Rick Karsdorp; CM Mauro Júnior, CM Ismael Saibari, CM Malik Tillman; FWL Noa Lang, ST Luuk de Jong, FWR Johan Bakayoko

Club Brugge v Sporting CP

The Jan Breydelstadion in Brugge prepares for the intense battle between Club Brugge and Sporting CP. Club Brugge faces injury concerns with Bjorn Meijer (thigh) ruled out and Gustaf Nilsson (achilles) doubtful. Sporting CP has a number of key players on the sidelines, including Nuno Santos (knee), Hidemasa Morita (strain), Pedro Goncalves (hamstring), and Daniel Santos Braganca (calf). Eduardo Quaresma remains doubtful, making this a challenging match for both teams. The implications of these absences will greatly affect the teams’ tactical strategies and overall game plan.

Expected Lineups

• Club Brugge: GK Simon Mignolet; LB Maxim De Cuyper, CB Brandon Mechele, CB Joel Ordóñez, RB Joaquin Seys; DM Ardon Jashari, DM Raphael Onyedika; LW Christos Tzolis, AM Hans Vanaken, RW Andreas Skov Olsen; ST Ferran Jutglà

• Sporting CP: GK Franco Israel; CB Zeno Debast, CB Ousmane Diomande, CB Goncalo Bernardo Inacio; LM Matheus Reis, CM Joao Pedro Arnauth Barrocas Simoes, CM Morten Hjulmand, RM Geny Cipriano Catamo; AM Francisco Trincao, AM Maximiliano Araújo; ST Viktor Gyökeres

RB Leipzig v Aston Villa and Other Matches

RB Leipzig's match against Aston Villa will see several key players absent due to injury. El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Eljif Elmas, Castello Lukeba, Assan Ouedraogo, Yussuf Poulsen, David Raum, and Xavi Simons are all out for Leipzig, while Aston Villa's Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey are also sidelined. This section and the following sections will briefly cover the remaining Champions League fixtures, highlighting key injury and suspension updates. Numerous teams face similar challenges as they navigate their group stage matches. It is indeed going to be a tough decision for Liverpool's Arne Slot to choose between Caoimhin Kelleher and the returning Alison, given Kelleher's recent stellar performances.

A Look Ahead

The upcoming Champions League fixtures promise a captivating display of footballing talent, strategy, and resilience. While injuries and suspensions inevitably disrupt team plans, it is the ability of the managers to adapt and bring forth the best of their remaining squads that will shape the outcomes of these decisive matches. The drama unfolds under pressure as teams contend with injuries, suspensions, and the ever-present need to adapt. Ultimately, the result of each match rests not only on skill, but also on astute coaching decisions and the players' willingness to persevere, giving fans the kind of nail-biting action they crave. The excitement of the upcoming Champions League matches is palpable. Let the games begin!