Real Madrid host Salzburg on Wednesday needing a win to keep alive their faint hopes of an automatic place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
The holders are four points outside the top eight ahead of today’s game at the Santiago Bernabeu, meaning anything other than three points will almost certainly end their hopes of securing one of those coveted automatic spots.
Indeed, failure to win here would leave them in a precarious position even in terms of claiming a place in the playoff round.
Salzburg are almost certainly out of contention for a top-24 finish, though claiming a famous victory in the Spanish capital would help their cause somewhat.
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The Jugo Mobile is following the Real Madrid vs. Salzburg match live, providing score updates and commentary below.
Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Where to watch where you are
Real Madrid vs. Salzburg score
| 1st Half | Goal scorers | |
| Real Madrid | — | |
| Salzburg | — |
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, MadridReferee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Predicted lineups:
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Thibaut Courtois (GK) — 8. Federico Valverde, 35. Raul Asencio, 22. Antonio Rudiger, 23. Ferland Mendy — 10. Luka Modric, 19. Dani Ceballos — 11. Rodrygo, 5. Jude Bellingham, 7. Vinicius Junior — 9. Kylian Mbappe
Salzburg (4-3-3, right to left): Schlager (GK) — Capaldo, Dedic, Baidoo, Guindo — Gourna-Douath, Bajcetic, Bidstrup — Yeo, Ratkov, Nene
Real Madrid vs. Salzburg live updates, highlights, and commentary
1 hour 20 mins before kickoff: The visitors have arrived! This is something of a free hit for Salzburg under their new head coach, but given Madrid’s patchy form this season, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they produce a shock here.
Backstage at the Bernabeu ?️#RMASAL | #UCL ?⚪ pic.twitter.com/6CbMOX3swO
— FC Red Bull Salzburg EN (@FCRBS_en) January 22, 2025
1 hour 50 mins before kickoff: Madrid, as they love to do, have gone early with the team news. As expected, Federico Valverde looks to be playing at right-back in place of the injured Lucas Vazquez, with Dani Ceballos starting in midfield alongside Luka Modric. The ‘fab four’ in attack are all present.
?✅ Our starting XI!? @FCRBS_en pic.twitter.com/y0K01xmHxH
— Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) January 22, 2025
2 hours before kickoff: Real Madrid are still far from certain of going through to the Champions League knockouts. They really need a result here today.
More updates will follow as we build towards kickoff.
??️⚽ pic.twitter.com/ZJOyCsVyVj
— Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) January 21, 2025
Real Madrid vs. Salzburg kick off time
The Champions League match kicks off in Madrid, Spain at 9 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Wed, Jan. 22 | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Wed, Jan. 22 | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| UK | Wed, Jan. 22 | 8:00 p.m. GMT |
| Australia | Thurs, Jan. 23 | 7:00 a.m. AEDT |
| India | Thurs, Jan. 23 | 1:30 a.m. IST |
Real Madrid vs. Salzburg lineups, team news
With Lucas Vazquez suspended for this game, Federico Valverde will be deployed as a makeshift right-back for Madrid. That sees Dani Ceballos get a rare start in midfield, where he partners captain Luka Modric, who is preferred to Aurelien Tchouameni.
Ancelotti’s hope is that this will provide enough security behind the talented attacking quartet of Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe.
Real Madrid starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Courtois (GK) — Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy — Modric, Ceballos — Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius — Mbappe
Real Madrid subs: Lunin, Gonzalez, Alaba, Tchouameni, Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Garcia, Diaz, Ramon, Chema
Salzburg’s last game was in mid-December, when they were still managed by ex-Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders. That means this will be the first test for new head coach Thomas Letsch.
Despite the change in the dugout, the Austrians are expected to go with a largely familiar set-up. Maurits Kjaergaard is out with an ankle injury, while forward Karim Konate is sidelined with a knee problem.
Salzburg predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Schlager (GK) — Capaldo, Dedic, Baidoo, Guindo — Gourna-Douath, Bajcetic, Bidstrup — Yeo, Ratkov, Nene
Salzburg subs: Matchday squads released one hour and 15 minutes before kickoff.
Real Madrid vs. Salzburg live stream, TV channel
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:
