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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he has "never started his best XI" - and that won't change today.

Ten Hag is without 12 first-team players - including the injured Raphael Varane, Mason Mount and Harry Maguire - and forwards Antony and Jadon Sancho, who are not training with the first team at the moment.

"There was always something, but you have to deal with it," said Ten Hag, who is in his second season in charge.

"I think I never started the best starting XI. That is football. You have to deal with it. I love these situations. You have to know what to do and focus on the process.

"In parts of the game we play well. In parts of the game we play below our levels. We need to be consistent for 90 plus minutes."

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A very tame start to tonight's Champions League offerings so far. Goalless at the break. Real Madrid have had three headed chances, all for Joselu, none taken.

Union Berlin, on their Champions League debut, have defended superbly and have frustrated the hosts.

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Former Southampton and Celtic forward Mohamed Elyounoussi has given Copenhagen a dream start away from home.

Elyounoussi capitalised on a poor headed clearance from Galatasaray full-back Sacha Boey and then, still under pressure, neatly brought the ball under control with his chest in the centre of the box and smashed it past Fernando Muslera.

Union Berlin will be delighted with their defensive efforts so far. Apart from three headers for Joselu, with varying degrees of difficulty, Real have been largely reduced to speculative efforts from outside of the penalty area.

Aurelien Tchouameni is the next to try his luck from range, and the next to balloon the ball well over the top.

Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni can have no complaints for his yellow card, sliding in low and late and wiping out Alex Kral.

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Paul: Not seen them in Spain, but Real Madrid don’t look that impressive here. Hardly peppering the goal are they? Union Berlin have done alright. Their goalie has only had make one save.

Union Berlin are proving a tough nut to crack. Five at the back, four midfielders tight and narrow in front of them. A half-chance for Real as Luka Modric crosses but Jude Bellingham slips when setting himself up to strike.

It comes to Nacho 35 yards out and he shoots when he really shouldn't have bothered from there and it's more catching practice for the fans.

Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez squares it from the right and Aurelien Tchouameni runs on to it and blasts it.... high into about the fourth tier of the stands... maybe.

Union Berlin get into the Real Madrid box and Aissa Laidouni goes for the spectacular bicycle kick but makes a real hash of it, with the ball heading towards the touchline.

Joselu is getting the big chances, but again can't finish off a great chance with the head, after he out-jumped his marker to meet Luka Modric's right-wing corner.

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David Alaba steps up to strike the free-kick from 30 yards out, but it was always going over. Jude Bellingham may step up the next time they get a free-kick there.

Real Madrid knocking it around well, but just trying to find their way through an organised Union Berlin side defending deep and in numbers.

A free-kick for Real. Could this lead to the breakthrough?

Real Madrid have only failed to score in one of their past 68 home games in the Champions League, doing so in a 3-0 loss to CSKA Moscow in December 2018.

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Jude Bellingham is at the heart of most of Real's good play. This time he's free on the right and crosses into the box but good decisive keeping from Frederik Ronnow who comes off his line and gathers with a sense of authority.

Another chance for Real, another chance for Joselu, another header at goal that can't be converted.

This time though the ball comes in from the right from Lucas Vazquez and Joselu nods it wide.

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Joselu nearly gets on the scoresheet with Real Madrid's first attack of the match. It comes from a delightful curling cross from the left from Jude Bellingham.

Joselu, formerly of Stoke and Newcastle, rises well and heads at goal but Frederik Ronnow in the away goal dives low to keep it out.

We are under way at the Bernabeu. It only takes the referee 45 seconds before we get a first look at his yellow card, handed out in the direction of Union Berlin's Lucas Tousart for a blatant pull-back on Luka Modric.

Tousart has to be careful for pretty much the whole match now.

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti on the challenge posed by Union Berlin: "They're a new team in the Champions League but the fact they're here means they've done very well. They're well organised defensively, they're solid and they play with intensity," he said.

"The Champions League is a special competition for us. We're going to treat the game as something special. We want to get off to a good start in the group stage and we're playing at home."

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Union Berlin have turned to experience by handing a first start to veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci, after the 36-year-old Italy captain joined earlier this month.

Bonucci won nine Serie A titles in his home country and helped Italy win Euro 2020, but a Champions League title looks set to be missing from his career, after twice losing in the final when at Juventus.

But he's still going to be regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.

Following a 1-0 Champions League away win at Manchester United in October 2018, then United boss Jose Mourinho couldn't have praised Bonucci and fellow defender Giorgio Chiellini any higher.

"Juventus had control in the first half and defended in the second, adding an extra central defender to add to the amazing Chiellini and the amazing Bonucci," said Mourinho after that match.

"Mr Bonucci and Mr Chiellini could teach lessons at Harvard University about how to be a central defender."