It’s time for the Champions League semi finals! The question regarding who will be in the starting XI when Bayern Munich takes the pitch against Real Madrid at Allianz Arena has been debated on this blog and by fans of Die Roten everywhere. The primary conundrum revolves around two key issues:
- Will David Alaba be healthy enough to start?
- How does Jupp Heynckes handle James Rodriguez, Thiago Alcantara, Franck Ribéry, and Arjen Robben?
The chess match between Heynckes and Zinedine Zidane will be fascinating to watch play out. With each manager facing some interesting decisions, there are a number of possibilities for how the starting XI for each side could play out. Will Heynckes favor an offensive heavy unit or will be opt for a more balanced formation? What substitution plan will Heynckes have in his back pocket should Bayern fall behind early or if they are trying to protect a lead?
We took an initial run at trying to sort out what Heynckes will do here, but our staff all had different ideas about how the lineup would look. Below, several members of BavarianFootballWorks.com submitted their best effort to predict a starting XI:
Ineednoname
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Tom Adams
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Cole Godfrey
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