Real Madrid's squad for the upcoming Champions League clash against Bayern Munich features three surprising inclusions or selections that have caught attention or caused intrigue among fans and observers.

Real Madrid has announced its squad list for the Champions League semifinal first leg against Bayern Munich, revealing three notable surprises.

The 14-time winners of the competition are heading to Bavaria in high spirits after securing a 14-point lead in La Liga with a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Friday. Arda Guler scored the lone goal of the match in the first half as head coach Carlo Ancelotti made strategic rotations to rest key players.

Last-minute adjustments were made due to illnesses affecting Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, who missed training the day before the Real Sociedad game. Bellingham was initially left out of the squad due to gastroenteritis, while Rodrygo was set to travel but was later sidelined due to flu. Bellingham eventually joined the squad as an unused substitute for the Real Sociedad match.

Despite the upcoming semifinal being two days away, Real Madrid has already released its squad list. Rodrygo and Bellingham's names are included, but there are three surprising inclusions elsewhere on the list shared on social media.

Thibaut Courtois and David Alaba have been named in their first squad list of 2024, although neither is expected to play any part in the Allianz Arena clash. Courtois sustained an ACL injury during training ahead of the season opener against Athletic Club last August and suffered a setback with another knee injury last month. Ancelotti hinted at a potential return for Courtois against Cadiz.

Similarly, Alaba is unlikely to feature until October at the earliest after tearing his ACL in late 2023. Despite their absence on the field, Courtois and Alaba will provide morale support in the locker room, a gesture reminiscent of Aurelien Tchouameni's presence during the UCL quarterfinal second leg against Manchester City.

Following Tchouameni's example, Dani Carvajal will also travel to Bavaria despite accumulating too many yellow cards at the Etihad.