Real Madrid spring lineup surprise: Mbappé set for bench vs Manchester City, Endrick on standby

Kylian Mbappé is expected to begin on the bench tonight as Real Madrid face Manchester City in the Champions League, with Endrick among the substitutes and poised for minutes. The move points to a late-impact plan from Carlo Ancelotti, trusting the Vinícius Júnior - Rodrygo axis and Jude Bellingham between the lines to set the early tempo. Fans are split: some see it as psychological warfare, others question the risk. If the game stretches after the hour mark, Mbappé and Endrick give Madrid speed, direct runs and penalty-box threat against a tiring City back line.

In the build-up to Real Madrid vs Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, Spanish outlet Marca reported that Kylian Mbappé is likely to start among the substitutes. The same reports list Endrick as a bench option, with another young attacker named Franco also noted as a potential late-game choice. The expectation is a controlled first half from Madrid, keeping their strongest vertical threats ready to change the game state in the second period.

🚨 CONFIRMED: Kylian Mbappé is likely NOT to play tonight. Endrick & Franco are options from the bench. @marca

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

Benching Kylian Mbappé reshapes Madrid’s risk profile in the opening phase. Without his immediate gravity pinning both the fullback and the near-side center back, Madrid can lean into a more compact mid-block, inviting Manchester City into wider zones before springing transitions through Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo. Jude Bellingham’s role grows as the chief connector, receiving between lines and carrying through pressure to release wide runners. The upside is control of field position and game tempo, limiting early chaos. The downside is foregoing Mbappé’s early punch that often forces opponents to drop five to seven meters deeper.

Tactically, Ancelotti may be calculating that City’s rest-defense can be pried open later. Kyle Walker’s recovery speed mitigates long balls early, but legs fade after 60 minutes. Introducing Mbappé against a fatigued back line changes the geometry of every duel. Endrick, meanwhile, offers vertical surges and instinctive penalty-box movements. His profile complements late crosses from Dani Carvajal and deep underlaps from Bellingham. If Madrid lead, Mbappé’s threat stretches City and creates clearances that kill momentum. If Madrid trail, he becomes a high-leverage finisher attacking the left channel off Vinícius’s gravity.

There is also workload management. Mbappé has carried heavy minutes since arriving at Real Madrid and remains the focal point in La Liga and Europe. A bench start can be a minutes-allocation hedge while still preserving his decisive burst window. Net effect: Madrid trade a fraction of first-half threat for a potentially decisive second-half spike in expected goals. Against a possession-dominant City, that gamble is rational.

Reaction

Fan chatter split fast. Some mocked the optics, saying he is on the bench just to scare City, a theme repeated with laughing emojis and memes. Others questioned the logic outright: if he is fit enough for the squad, why not start the best player? A few Madrid supporters embraced the plan, pointing to Endrick’s energy and fearlessness as a game-changer against a tiring defense. There is also a strand of bravado: keep Mbappé as the nuclear option and hit City when the match is stretched.

One fan claimed Madrid had scored only 44 this season and framed Mbappé as more than half their production, a clear exaggeration but a telling measure of how outsized his presence feels. The Endrick camp is growing louder, with comments like Endrick time to shine and questions about what he needs to do to start. That optimism rides on his fearless movement and quick finishes. Skeptics warn that holding Mbappé too long invites City control. In short, the timeline of his introduction is the lightning rod: on 60 if even, earlier if chasing, and later if Madrid are cruising.

Social reactions

He's on the bench tho

BELLINGTON (@Tinibellington)

He’s on bench to scare City I see

Hybrid (@HYBRIDSOUND)

Fantastic news! Endrick and Franco ready to shine tonight!

Yana (@YanaHeat)

Prediction

Two clean scenarios emerge. If Madrid keep the game level through structured pressing and disciplined rest-defense, Ancelotti introduces Mbappé around the 60th minute with Endrick close behind. That double change immediately targets City’s right side, where recovery sprints and concentration wane. Expect diagonal balls into the left channel, cutbacks to Bellingham at the penalty spot, and second-phase shots from the edge. In that script, Madrid manufacture the highest-quality chances late and can nick the tie with a single decisive burst.

If Madrid concede early, the bench plan accelerates. Mbappé can come on before halftime or at the break, pushing Vinícius inside for rotations that disorient center-backs. Endrick becomes the chaos agent pressing the first pass after City turnovers. The third path is comfortable Madrid control, where Mbappé is preserved for the second leg, and Endrick still gets targeted minutes to threaten in transition. Across all scenarios, the bench holds asymmetric upside. My call: Mbappé plays 30 to 35 minutes, produces 2 to 3 high-value actions, and directly influences the result. Endrick gets 15 to 20 minutes with one clear chance.

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Conclusion

Madrid are signaling confidence in the collective by deferring Mbappé’s start. It is not a demotion. It is a calculated sequencing of threats. Ancelotti trusts his base structure to absorb and counter early, then supercharge the attack when City’s line accelerations slow. In that frame, Endrick is not just cover. He is a designed late-phase weapon whose timing of runs can tilt second balls in Madrid’s favor. The optics will spark debate, but the logic is coherent against a possession giant.

This plan also manages workloads in a brutal calendar without sacrificing ceiling outcomes. If it works, the narrative flips: Madrid outfox City, Mbappé delivers the late edge, and Endrick validates his hype with incisive minutes. If it misfires, expect the questions to be loud, especially around timing of changes. Either way, the decision defines the tie’s rhythm. Watch for the 55 to 70 minute window. That is where Madrid intend to cash in their biggest chips.