Real Madrid will have left-back Marcelo available to them for Wednesday evening's UEFA Champions League semi-final second-leg tussle with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, boss Zinedine Zidane has confirmed.
In an unusual situation, the Brazilian, who played 77 minutes of the 1-1 draw in the first-leg at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Tuesday evening, was set to be absent from the squad because he has been selected to be part of a polling station in the Madrid Assembly elections, which are set to take place on Tuesday, May 4, just one day ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.
The left-back, who captained Madrid in the absence of Sergio Ramos on Tuesday evening, must fulfil the duty and cannot be made exempt in any way.
However, Madrid chief Zidane has now been able to confirm that once the Brazil international has completed his electoral duties, he will be part of the squad that will be hoping to end Thomas Tuchel's and Chelsea's dream of reaching their first Champions League final since 2012.
Confirming Marcelo's situation, Zidane said: "It is what it is, he will fulfil his obligations but on Wednesday he will be with us."
However, although Zidane has confirmed that Marcelo will be part of the squad, it remains to be seen how Covid-19 protocols may impact him if he arrives in England on his own and not with the rest of the squad, with elite-level sports team exempt from having to quarantine upon arrival into the UK.
If he travels alone after fulfilling his duty as part of the polling station, he would not be part of the Covid secure bubble that Madrid will have formed.
Elsewhere, Zidane has confirmed that French defender Ferland Mendy remains an injury doubt.
