Real Madrid host Deportivo de La Coruña Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu looking to get a much-needed win in La Liga. Now sitting in fifth place, a win means more than just getting close to the league leaders. That being said, here are three things to watch for ahead of the match.
Building on the Momentum
Real Madrid finally picked up a win in their midweek fixture against Leganes in the first leg of the Copa Del Rey quarterfinal. This win came after what has felt like forever as Madrid has won just one of their last five matches in La Liga and struggled in the Copa.
Though the result was positive the performance was not. Nonetheless, Madrid has one thing going for them and that is a positive momentum. That sentiment was echoed by the goal scorer Marco Asensio.
"“We know what football is like, it goes in waves. From now on we have to change our dynamic, keep working and improving every day. When the goals come, we are more confident. We have to get a few wins under our belt so that things flow and treat every game as a final. Today was the first of those and every game from now on is of paramount importance”."
On top of the high morale, the odds are in the favor of Real Madrid as Deportivo is also on a very poor spell of matches. La Coruña is winless in their last four games and their away form is not looking much better as they find themselves in the relegation zone.
Stat Attack:
- Real have won their last 10 home games against Deportivo in all competitions
- Madrid have scored at least two goals in their last ten matches against La Coruña in all competitions
- Los Blancos have scored at least 2.5 goals in eight of their last 10 matches against Deportivo in all competitions
Defensive Woes
If you haven’t heard yet, you might want to take a deep breath. Real Madrid has four center backs in their squad, but only two are available for this match. Sergio Ramos has been sidelined for weeks now due to his injury and now Jesús Vallejo has picked up a muscle strain as well.
That being said, Real is now down to just Raphael Varane and Nacho, leaving all the responsibility on their shoulders to lead the backline. We have seen for weeks now how lackluster and discombobulated Madrid has looked in their defensive third and tomorrow everyone from the top down needs to be in fine form.
Marcelo was rested earlier this week against Leganes so it is likely that he will start. Oddly enough, the Brazilian has not been looking like himself as he has been caught upfield on numerous occasions.
Packing heat up top
Something we have not seen in some time now is the trio of Real Madrid playing together on the pitch. This home match could break that deadlock as the trio of Bale, Benzema, and Ronaldo are healthy and ready to go. While Benzema and Cristiano have found themselves struggling this season, Bale has shown up on several accounts to save the day.
Training today 💪 @realmadrid #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/XFfbF8rurT
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) January 20, 2018
With Bale having played fewer games than both Ronaldo and Benzema, he finds himself sitting third on the Real Madrid scoring list. Deportivo seems to be a favorite opponent for Bale as he has scored six goals in five appearances against the side. Hopefully, Sunday’s appearance will allow the Welshman to share his magic touch with his counterparts or at least assist them. Getting him going is crucial to Madrid salvaging anything from this season.
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Even if the BBC does not play together simultaneously, Zidane has plenty of talent at his disposal. Zidzou has been criticized for making repetitive substitutions a little too late into the match to effect any positive change. This match will be an opportunity to showcase the many talents that Madrid possess if the deadlock is not broken early on.