Revealed: Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric among SEVEN Real Madrid stars on suspension tightrope ahead of Champions League tie with Man City
Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric are two of seven players who will need to be careful when Real Madrid visit Man City in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
The two sides failed to make the the top eight of the table in UEFA’s new Champions League format.
And they were drawn to face each other for the fourth year in a row in the play-offs to reach the last-16.
The first leg takes place at the Etihad on Tuesday and a number of Madrid players are standing on a suspension tightrope.
Bellingham, Modric, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Endrick all received two bookings in the group stage.
UEFA rules state those yellows carry on to the play-offs and a third would mean a suspension for the second leg which takes place a week later.
Jude Bellingham (right) and Luka Modric (left) are both on the verge of suspension
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is also a yellow card away from receiving a touchline ban
It’s not just the players who will have to be wary with manager Carlo Ancelotti
Meanwhile, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is also under threat with the manager also once yellow away from a touchline ban.
Pep Guardiola’s side needed to win their final league phase game to void elimination and so, beating Club Brugge 3-1.
The result saw the Premier League champions to finish 22nd in the league, which was enough for a play-off spot but left them unseeded in the draw.
Man City were paired with Celtic, who finished in 21st place, with the teams knowing they would be drawn against European heavyweights Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
The sides have met in the past three seasons, with the winner of each tie going on to lift the trophy.
