Real Madrid lineup suggests all-out attack against Roma

Many wondered if Real Madrid might get set up to play out a conservative gameplan for Zinedine Zidane’s first time out as a manager in a Champions League game. The Spanish giants are still finding their feet under Zidane to some degree, of course, and they’re playing AS Roma in a fairly hostile venue in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. Well, wonder no more, because Zidane took those concerns and laughed them off as he named an extraordinarily attacking lineup.

Instead of lining up a 4-3-3 with a dedicated defensive midfielder and a slightly less intensive attack, Zidane eschewed that security blanket and named Isco to his starting lineup, looking like he’ll be the man behind striker Karim Benzema in a 4-2-3-1. Sandwiched between Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez, and with Toni Kroos and Luca Modric behind Isco, there’s no mistaking Real Madrid’s lineup for anything but an all-out attack.

As for Roma, they’ve gone with something a bit more unusual. Luciano Spalletti has left Edin Dzeko’s holdup play up top on the bench, instead choosing to complement the pace of Mohamed Salah and Stephan El Shaarawy on the wings with a false nine of sorts in Diego Perotti. It’s not a typical role for the Argentine attacker, who’s normally on the wing or behind the striker, but it’s also not something Madrid could have expected or prepared for. That could prove to be a crucial advantage for Roma, who need any boost to their chances in this match that they can get.