Champions league nights are officially back at the Santiago Bernabéu tonight after two weeks. Real Madrid’s opponent this time, is another European heavyweight, AC Milan. A club who comes second to the Royal whites in terms of success in the competition with 7 titles.

Ahead of tonight’s showdown, both sides have been boosted by some injury returns. AC Milan for one are set to welcome Rafael Leao back to the starting lineup, while Real Madrid were boosted by Rodrygo’s return to the squad.

Rodrygo suffered a muscle blow against  Borussia Dortmund last time out in the competition, which eventually led to him missing out on the El Clásico. The player was also expected to miss out on Saturdays clash vs Valencia, had it not been postponed.

However, the big news comes in the defensive department. According to AS, top ranked CB Antonio Rüdiger, who has been dealing with some minor issues lately is set to start tonight. The player is not expected to get any rest.

Rüdiger had suffered a blow.

Heading into tonight’s clash, they were doubts if the German would make the squad list. However, not only did he make the 24 man list, he’s expected to get a start.

A leader in defense

Last season, Rüdiger was untouchable in Real Madrid’s defensive line. He enjoyed a stellar campaign, which later earned him recognition in the Ballon d’Or top 30 rankings.

He was a menace in defence, and a nightmare for strikers throughout the season. His most outstanding performance came in the UCL QF against pep’s city, when he kept Haaland dormant for 180 minutes across both legs.

However, it hasn’t been the ideal start to the season in terms of defense for Real Madrid, and players like Rüdiger are working hard to regain former glory.