Roger Schmidt didn’t want to lift the veil on the eleven he will present today in the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League, at Club Brugge, and he has some headaches for the first time… good ones.
The German coach has the squad almost at maximum strength (left-back Ristic is the only one injured) and will have to make difficult choices in attack: Rafa or David Neres… or Gonçalo Guedes; and even Gonçalo Ramos or Gonçalo Guedes. There are several possibilities. They also involve the midfield.
Let’s do it by steps. With the recovery of Gonçalo Ramos and Rafa, Roger Schmidt now has several and rich resources at his disposal in midfield forwards. In the last three games, the German coach used the same eleven: Gonçalo Guedes in front, Neres in support. But with Ramos, the team’s top scorer, available for full service, the situation could change. Gonçalo Ramos can come up front. And force the other Gonçalo, Guedes, to retreat to support the striker. But, it must not be forgotten, Rafa is also available for this position.
Assuming that Schmidt does not abdicate from Aursnes, a mainstay and one of the most influential players in recent games, nor from João Mário, one of the decisive players when it comes to shooting at goal, there are two vacancies left for four players, precisely in the offensive core. That will be in dispute between the two Gonçalos, Rafa and David Neres. Whoever is in the best physical and emotional condition and with high confidence will play.
Another alternative, perhaps the most remote, is the possibility of leaving Chiquinho do eleven. The Portuguese midfielder was the man whom the German trusted when it came to filling Enzo Fernández’s vacancy, who left for Chelsea. Chiquinho has teamed up with Florentino and most likely will continue to do so. If not Portuguese, the Aursnes hypothesis for the crumb is also viable.
In defense, almost no doubts – they play the usual ones. Bah on the right (does not deserve punishment, the coach stressed yesterday), António Silva and Otamendi in the center and Grimaldo on the left-hand side.
The likely eleven of the eagles: Vlachodimos; Bah, António Silva, Otamendi and Grimaldo; Florentino and Chiquinho; João Mário, Gonçalo Guedes and Aursnes; Gonçalo Ramos
