Real Madrid vs Salzburg Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Real Madrid have been unconvincing throughout this season and have stumbled in the UEFA Champions League but should be assured of a top 24 finish ahead of facing Red Bull Salzburg.
Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 22nd January, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Real Madrid Team News: Tchouameni a doubt
Aurelien Tchouameni is having a tough time of it in terms of his form of late and he is now an injury doubt for Los Blancos with Real Madrid dealing with some definite absentees such as Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez and Eduardo Camavinga.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Aguado, Asencio, Rudiger, Garcia; Valverde, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
Unavailable: Militao (Injured), Carvajal (Injured), Vazquez (Injured), Camavinga (Injured)
Questionable: Tchouameni (Injured)
Salzburg Team News: Couple of injuries
Salzburg, now under the new management of Thomas Letsch following the sacking of Pep Lijnders, may approach this competition a little differently from their first six games. They have a couple of injury issues such as Maurits Kjaergaard and Karim Konate.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Schlager; Capaldo, Dedic, Baidoo, Guindo; Gourna-Douath, Bajcetic, Bidstrup; Yeo, Ratkov, Nene
Unavailable: Kjaergaard (Injured), Konate (Injured)
Questionable:
Key Stats
- This is the first UEFA CLUB competition match between these two teams.
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 15 UEFA club competition matches against Austrian teams (W9 D5).
- Real Madrid have won ten of their previous 12 UEFA club competition matches at home against Austrian teams (D1 L1). The only defeat was a 1-0 loss against Wacker Innsbruck in the 1970/71 European Cup Winners' Cup second round first leg.
- Real Madrid’s defeat against AC Milan on Matchday 6 ended a 15-match unbeaten run at home in the UEFA Champions League proper (W12 D3).
- None of Real Madrid’s last 48 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored. The last occasion was a 0-0 draw away from home against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in April 2021.
- Kylian Mbappé is set to make his 80th appearance in the UEFA Champions League proper – fellow French legend Zinédine Zidane finished his career with 80 appearances in the competition.
- On Matchday 6, Kylian Mbappé became the ninth player to reach the total of 50 goals scored in the UEFA Champions League competition proper. At the age of 25 years and 356 days, he became the second youngest to reach the landmark, after Lionel Messi who was 24 years and 284 days when he achieved the feat.
- Vinícius Júnior has scored five goals in his last three UEFA Champions League appearances. This is the second time he has scored in three successive appearances in the competition, he has never scored in four in succession.
- Real Madrid have won nine of their last 11 matches in all competitions (D1 L1).
- Kylian Mbappé has scored four goals in his last three matches for Real Madrid in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have scored three or more goals in nine of their last 11 matches in all competitions.
- Salzburg have won only two of their last 14 UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams (D4 L8).
- Salzburg have won only one of their last 11 matches in the UEFA Champions League proper (D1 L9).
- Salzburg have failed to score in seven of their last nine matches in the UEFA Champions League proper.
- Salzburg have won only two of their last ten away matches in all competitions (D3 L5).
Real Madrid vs Salzburg Prediction
Real Madrid, as mentioned, have been underwhelming and their calendar year began in disappointing fashion as they suffered a 5-2 defeat to El Clasico rivals Barcelona in Saudi Arabia last week in the final of the Spanish Supercopa. Los Blancos remain in the title race and are even top-of-the-table in La Liga but they have majorly benefitted from something of a collapse by Barcelona. Their 3-2 win in Bergamo against Atalanta last month means top 24 qualification should now be a formality as they face a Salzburg side that have endured a miserable campaign, hence the aforementioned change in management, and a comfortable Madrid win is to be expected at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid vs Salzburg Tip: Real Madrid to win & over 2.5 goals