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Real Madrid’s Rafael Benitez and PSG’s Laurent Blanc to shuffle their packs

Sport360 staff

10:17 08/12/2015

With progress already secured after picking up 13 points from a possible 15, Real Madrid Benitez will ring the changes for the visit of Group A bottom club Malmo.

Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Keylor Navas have been rested, while defensive trio Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane are not fully fit.

That will give some of Madrid’s fringe players a chance to impress, although Benitez has ruled out drafting in any untried youngsters.

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The Spaniard said: “It’s a chance to rotate, but with the aim of doing two things: alternating players around and getting the win so that all the players arrive in the best form possible for Villarreal.

“A lot of the players who’ve been out injured are returning and they’ll need to start building up rhythm. I’m sorry, there’s no place for the younger players tomorrow.”

PSG coach Laurent Blanc is also set to make changes against Shakhtar as Thiago Silva, Javier Pastore, Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Gregory van der Wiel are either injured or will be rested.

Blanc said: “Certain players have been bothered by some injuries so I will have to make some changes, and we also need to think about our schedule.”

It’s a straight shootout for top spot in Group C with Benfica hosting Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Da Luz, where Diego Simeone’s side lost the 2014 final to Real Madrid.

Atleti boss Diego Simeone has hailed the Portuguese giants’ attack but also rejected claims his side are a defensive team.

Simeone said: We have been a solid team for four or five years now and we have our style. I don’t agree with being branding a defensive team. Our aim is always to win.

“This is a stadium with important memories: a good one as we played a Champions League final here; a bad one because we lost it.”

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