Real Madrid face off against Las Palmas this Wednesday in the Santiago Bernabéu. Alex McVey discusses three things Real Madrid fans should look out for ahead of this midweek La Liga fixture.
1. How will Zidane rotate his squad?
After a tough weekend fixture against Villarreal, we can probably expect manager Zinedine Zidane to make some rotations for the midweek match. Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić both appeared to be gassed during the weekend match.
Perhaps one or both of the midfielders will get a chance to rest, with the likes of Isco, James, and Mateo Kovačić all able of slotting into Madrid’s midfield. Additionally, the calls for Alvaro Morata to start over Karim Benzema have been getting louder and louder. The match against 12th place Las Palmas might give Zidane a chance to see if Morata has what it takes to break into the starting lineup.
2. Jesé Rodríguez returns to the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid fans will probably remember Jesé Rodríguez, also known by his hip-hop nom de plume “Big Flow,” as the dynamic young winger from La Fabrica (Real Madrid’s youth academy) whose time was cut short by a tragic knee ligament injury in March of 2014.
Despite recovering from that injury, Jesé was never able to recover his spot in Madrid’s lineup, failing to make a lasting impression on Rafa Benitez and ultimately being sold on to complete a heretofore unsuccessful stint at Paris Saint-Germain. Having been found surplus to requirements at PSG, Jesé has been loaned to Las Palmas, a club in his homeland of the Canary Islands.
While Jesé’s performances haven’t been terrible, he has missed a few clear goal-scoring chances. Since his move to the club, Las Palmas has gone on a four-match losing streak. While Jesé will certainly be hoping his return to Madrid can jump-start his Las Palmas career, Los Blancos will be seeking to extend his streak of bad luck.
4 - Since Jese joined, Las Palmas have lost the four league games they have played. Brake pic.twitter.com/IKHzMyDcGz
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 24, 2017
3. Bale’s Health
Madridistas will certainly be waiting with baited breath to see whether the Welsh Dragon will take the pitch on Wednesday. After whiffing at a ball during Madrid’s intense victory against Villarreal, Bale came up grasping at his ankle, and ultimately limped off the pitch as he was substituted for Lucas Vázquez.
While Zidane attempted to calm fears that Bale has reinjured himself after just a few matches back, claiming that he was pulled of as a simple precaution, Bale’s history with niggling injuries may make some Madrid fans skeptical of Zidane’s reassurances. It will be interesting to see if Zidane decides to start the Welshman, or, rather, if he decides to keep him on ice for tougher fixtures ahead.