What doubts are left for Zidane to solve for the Champions League?

Real Madrid's brilliant run of form had a turning point in the cup defeat against Real Sociedad. A slip up that no one expected and which made the alarms bells ring at the club ahead of the Champions League.

The truth is that the matches had many edges and one of the great explanations to the slip up was in the use of multiple non-regulars by Zidane.

In this way, the Madrid manager is now thinking about what 11 players will make up his starting XI in the Champions League against City.

In goals, there is no discussion. Thibaut Courtois has dispelled the doubts and, if anything, the match against Real Sociedad showed that Alphonse Areola is not like he was at the beginning of the season.

Carvajal, Ramos, and Varane were, are and will be in the Los Blancos side and the first doubt will be at left-back. Marcelo is a big name, but the cup match made clear that Mendy is several steps above him right now.

It seems that the Frenchman will join the 3 and Courtois in the positions that will be the most nailed down spots alongside Casemiro and Benzema.

In CM, as well as the Brazilian, Zidane must decide if he is to use 2, 3 or 4 men. The normal thing would be for him to opt for 3 players to play alongside Caesemiro, with which they would have 4 in the centre of midfield.

In that case, Valverde, Kroos, and Modric will fight for 3 spots. Isco is going from strength to strength, unlike the Croatian. If he decides to play the older players, Valverde could be the one sacrificed. But neither Kroos, who started in previous seasons, has his spot secure.

If nothing strange happens and he gets ready until then, Zidane could play Hazard alongside Benzema in attack, with Bale, Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Lucas remaining as alternatives to a more attacking formation from Zidane that, because it's an opponent like City, doesn't look like it's going to happen. However, even though all this is most likely to happen, it cannot be ruled out that, as he has done on other occasions, Zidane will surprise with the Welshman when no one gives a dime for him.