Chelsea vs Real Madrid predicted XI: 3-4-3 with Havertz up top
Mason Mount (No. 19) Right winger, England
Was the right wing spot ever a question? Mason Mount simply has to be included in any Chelsea XI as he’s the individual that makes this well-oiled machine tick. The Englishman was one of three individual scorers against Los Blancos last season as he provided the dagger that sealed the fate of Zidane’s juggernaut. Mount leads the Blues in a plethora of attacking categories and this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. His relentless pressing is invaluable to Tuchel’s system. Mount’s proven on more than one occasion that he’s a man for the big moment. Let’s hope the 23-year-old can produce some more magic in front of the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Kai Havertz (No. 29) Center forward, Germany
If you’d told any Chelsea fan last summer that Kai Havertz would be the starting No. 9 for Tuchel’s team in a Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid, they’d have called you crazy. Romelu Lukaku was brought in as the club record transfer (£97.5 million) for these moments. However, for one reason or another, the Belgian has struggled to find his footing in his second debut campaign for the Blues.
Meanwhile, Havertz has finally begun to justify his price tag with one clutch performance after another over the last few months. The German looks to have found his home under Tuchel as a lone striker. The wunderkind has managed 11 goals and five assists this season and he’s looking to add to his Champions League tally against another club that displayed interest in signing him a few years back. He’s scored at every stage of the competition thus far (group stage and Round of 16), can he continue that streak against Los Blancos?
Christian Pulisic (No. 10) Left winger, United States
Christian Pulisic was on pre-match presser duties alongside Tuchel, which is usually a good indicator that he’s going to get the starting nod. Regardless of his status as a well-spoken winger, he was likely going to start anyway due to his scorching form. Pulisic helped drag the United States back into the World Cup over the international break with a hat-trick and netted two goals against Lille prior to the stoppage. This—combined with Callum Hudson-Odoi’s continued absence—means he’s the best choice on the left wing. The American international chipped in with two all-important goal contributions against Real Madrid last year, as well.
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