Real Madrid vs. Salzburg live score: UEFA Champions League result, updates, stats from key game for Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid host Salzburg on Wednesday needing a win to keep alive their faint hopes of an automatic place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

The holders are four points outside the top eight ahead of today's game at the Santiago Bernabeu, meaning anything other than three points will almost certainly end their hopes of securing one of those coveted automatic spots.

Indeed, failure to win here would leave them in a precarious position even in terms of claiming a place in the playoff round.

Salzburg are almost certainly out of contention for a top-24 finish, though claiming a famous victory in the Spanish capital would help their cause somewhat. 

WATCH: UEFA Champions League with a FREE trial of Paramount+ in USA | A new era of UEFA Champions League in Australia, only on Stan Sport

The Sporting News is following the Real Madrid vs. Salzburg match live, providing score updates and commentary below.

Latest live updates | Team news and lineups | Where to watch where you are

Real Madrid vs. Salzburg score

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)

Predicted lineups:

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1, right to left): Courtois (GK) — Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Garcia — Tchouameni, Ceballos — Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius — Mbappe

Salzburg (4-3-3, right to left): Schlager (GK) — Capaldo, Dedic, Baidoo, Guindo — Gourna-Douath, Bajcetic, Bidstrup — Yeo, Ratkov, Nene

MORE: All the latest Champions League news | How does the 2024/25 Champions League work? | Full UCL match schedule

Real Madrid vs. Salzburg live updates, highlights, and commentary

2 hours before kickoff: Real Madrid are still far from certain of going through to the Champions League knockouts. They really need a result here today.

More updates will follow as we build towards kickoff. 

🔜🏟️⚽ pic.twitter.com/ZJOyCsVyVj

Real Madrid vs. Salzburg kick off time

The Champions League match kicks off in Madrid, Spain at 9 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

Real Madrid vs. Salzburg lineups, team news

With Lucas Vazquez suspended for this game, it is likely that Federico Valverde will be deployed as a makeshift right-back for Madrid, while Fran Garcia has been tipped to come in on the left.

That would see Dani Ceballos get a rare start in midfield, likely alongside Aurelien Tchouameni. Ancelotti's hope is that this will provide enough security behind the talented attacking quartet of Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe.

Real Madrid predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Courtois (GK) — Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Garcia — Tchouameni, Ceballos — Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius — Mbappe

Real Madrid subs: Matchday squads released one hour and 15 minutes before kickoff.

Salzburg's last game was in mid-December, when they were still managed by ex-Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders. That means this will be the first test for new head coach Thomas Letsch.

Despite the change in the dugout, the Austrians are expected to go with a largely familiar set-up. Maurits Kjaergaard is out with an ankle injury, while forward Karim Konate is sidelined with a knee problem.

Salzburg predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Schlager (GK) — Capaldo, Dedic, Baidoo, Guindo — Gourna-Douath, Bajcetic, Bidstrup — Yeo, Ratkov, Nene

Salzburg subs: Matchday squads released one hour and 15 minutes before kickoff.

Real Madrid vs. Salzburg live stream, TV channel

Here is how to watch the match in some of the world's major regions: