It's safe to say there was some surprise when Mateo Kovacic did not start for Chelsea vs Real Madrid. The Croatian midfielder only featured for 26 minutes against Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend, which many would have considered as part of the preparation for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
It was N'Golo Kante and Jorginho - the Italian also only came from the bench against the Bees - who got the nod at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening as Thomas Tuchel opted for the same midfield pairing that started against Los Blancos in last season's semi-final.
The German coach spoke highly of the 27-year-old heading into the Champions League clash, reflecting on Kovacic's journey to a key player, having previously been a rotation option during his time in Madrid, with Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric to usurp. Though, the latter ultimately sees him as his heir internationally.
