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REAL MADRID SWEAT OVER RUDIGER AND RODRYGO AHEAD OF MONACO EUROPEAN CLASH

Real Madrid face Monaco without Rudiger and Rodrygo. Discover Arbeloa's tactical plan and the latest on Carvajal's shock return.

Real Madrid sweat over Rudiger and Rodrygo ahead of Monaco European clash
Rodrygo missed training before the crucial Champions League showdown

Looks like Real Madrid are set to be without both Antonio Rüdiger and Rodrygo for Tuesday’s Champions League game against Monaco.

Rudiger’s had a rough season, barely managing nine appearances so far thanks to ongoing injury problems. Right now, his knee’s giving him trouble, and he hasn’t played in the last two matches. He was on the bench for the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona but never got on the pitch.

The club hoped Rudiger would be ready for Monaco, but Marca says he’s a serious doubt. And it’s the same story for Rodrygo. He’s still dealing with the issue that kept him out against Levante on Saturday and looks set to miss out again.

Real Madrid aren’t the only ones missing from the squad. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy are all still sidelined. The team sits seventh in the Champions League table, tied on points with Liverpool, who are in ninth, so they’re not exactly cruising toward the next round.

They’ll wrap up the group stage against Benfica on January 28. Before that, though, there’s a big La Liga match against Villarreal coming up on Saturday night.

As for the lineup, there’s a chance Mastantuono gets a start against Monaco. Gonzalo Garcia started up front with Mbappe and Vinicius Junior against Levante, but Franco Mastantuono came on at halftime and put in a strong shift, so he might join the front three this time.

At the back, Raul Asencio will probably partner Dean Huijsen again, and Eduardo Camavinga should keep his spot in midfield. Federico Valverde might end up covering right-back once more.

Good news for Dani Carvajal—he’s back from injury. He got 13 minutes against Albacete in the Copa del Rey and watched the Levante match from the bench. He’s available, but it’s not clear yet if he’ll start.

LEAGUE UPDATE: MAN UNITED’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES BOOSTED BY COEFFICIENT POINTS SURGE

Manchester United move into fourth place as England's dominant UEFA coefficient makes a fifth Champions League spot almost certain.

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Confirmed: Fifth place in PL likely to earn UCL qualification this season

Manchester United just got a real shot in the arm for their Champions League hopes this season. After knocking off Manchester City and Arsenal in back-to-back games, they’ve climbed into fourth place in the Premier League. It’s been a struggle for United to make the Champions League in recent years—their last run was in the 2023/24 season.

These days, finishing in the top four isn’t always enough for Premier League teams. UEFA now hands out extra spots, and it all depends on how clubs from each country perform across the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

So, how does it work? UEFA takes each league’s overall coefficient score—basically, a measure of how well their teams do in Europe—and divides it by the number of clubs they have in these competitions.

This season, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle all joined the European fight. Out of those six, only Newcastle had to go through the play-offs; the rest sailed straight into the knockouts.

Now that the Champions League group stage is done, you can really see which countries are in line for those bonus spots next year. Right now, England is out in front with 180,625 points. Germany follows with 107,000. Portugal sits in third with 14,700, and Spain is just behind on 14,375.

Here’s the key thing: the two countries whose teams rack up the best results across all three competitions this season each get a European Performance Spot—an extra Champions League place.

With England leading the pack, even a fifth-place finish in the Premier League could send United back into the Champions League instead of the Europa League. Newcastle took advantage of this last season.

If United hold onto fourth, they’re in. But there’s still a lot of football left. Interim boss Michael Carrick isn’t letting anyone get ahead of themselves—he’s already told his players to stay sharp.

Next up, United face Fulham at Old Trafford. They'll be chasing a third straight win and looking to keep Carrick’s perfect record going since he stepped in for Darren Fletcher.

JUST IN: PEP GUARDIOLA THANKS JOSE MOURINHO AFTER WILD NIGHT OF EUROPEAN DRAMA

Pep Guardiola thanks Jose Mourinho as Benfica’s last-gasp winner against Real Madrid sends City straight into the Last-16.

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Pep Guardiola’s oldest rival just saved City’s season

Pep Guardiola had a smile on his face and a message for Jose Mourinho after his old rival did him a huge favour, helping Manchester City sneak into the Champions League knockout rounds.

City took care of their own business, beating Galatasaray 2-0 at the Etihad. Haaland and Cherki got the goals, but the real drama was happening elsewhere. City’s spot in the last eight still hung in the balance because Real Madrid needed to equalise against Benfica. If they had, Guardiola’s squad would have been bumped into the play-offs instead.

That’s when Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, pulled off something wild. He left his box, charged forward for a late free kick, and scored a brilliant goal. Benfica won 4-2. That goal kept Benfica alive in the competition—and, as it turned out, saved City too.

Guardiola admitted he and his players were glued to the screen in the dressing room, completely confused when they saw Trubin running up for that last free kick. “We were all in there, watching, and none of us realised Benfica still needed a goal to qualify,” Guardiola said. “So when their keeper went up, we’re all thinking, ‘What are you doing?’ But Jose knew. It was a smart move. Finishing in the top eight, with how tough the Champions League has become, feels really good for us. Now we can focus on being at our best by March.”

Bernardo Silva didn’t hide how relieved he felt. Skipping those extra play-off games really matters, especially when you’re chasing a quadruple. “A bit of drama, but we did it. We’re very happy because we avoid two more matches,” he said. “With all the injuries we’ve got and the crazy schedule, having those two weeks free to rest, get players back, and focus on the other competitions is huge for us.”

As for Mourinho, he looked proud after Benfica’s wild finish. He’s won this tournament twice before, and he believed his side deserved to stay in. “That was a fantastic goal, a historic moment—almost blew the roof off the stadium,” Mourinho said. “Honestly, for Benfica to beat Real Madrid, that’s massive.”

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