Aurelien Tchouameni, a defensive midfielder by trade, partnered academy graduate Raul Asencio, 21, who only made his Madrid debut in November, at centre-back against Atletico. Fellow academy defenders Joan Martinez and Jacobo Ramon are also out with injury, accelerating Asencio’s ascent into the first team this season.

The first legs of the Champions League knockout phase has come to a close and none of the eight matches ended in a draw. With a spot in the round of 16 on the line, most clashes are hanging in the balance as Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain were the only teams to win their matches by more than one goal.