Real Madrid are in need of a huge bounce-back game on Sunday when they take on former manager Julen Lopetegui’s impressive Sevilla side.
After four games of La Liga action, Real Madrid currently sit third in the table behind rivals Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.
Yes, heading into their Matchday 5 tilt at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, Sevilla are the league leaders with 10 points in four games. Like Real and Athletic Bilbao, they are undefeated thus far, and they look like a potential juggernaut.
Los Blancos will have their hands full, but they need to have a statement performance after losing 3-0 to a Neymar and Mbappe-less PSG in their Champions League opener. Here’s a look at who will most likely be in the starting lineup for this critical matchup.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Courtois could have done better for both of the first-half goals scored by Angel Di Maria in the Champions League, and it’s been more than six months since Courtois last had a clean sheet for his club team. He was once arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, so there’s hope that he can turn things around. The Belgian will be under the microscope against Sevilla.
LB Ferland Mendy
Although Mendy didn’t necessarily stand out against PSG and benefited from facing the easiest matchup defensively, he did acquit himself well on the left side of the formation. Mendy, as of right now, doesn’t offer half as much as Marcelo offensively, but he’s one of the best left backs in the world defensively. He will be tested by Lucas Ocampos on Sunday.
CB Sergio Ramos
It is remarkable how much Real Madrid miss Sergio Ramos’s leadership, composure, and all-around defensive quality when he’s out of the lineup. Ramos will have to clean up the messes left by a sub-optimal midfield, and he could be the most important player in this game.
CB Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane should be one of the best defensive players in the world, but he hasn’t looked like it lately. The PSG game is one he’d like to quickly forget.
RB Dani Carvajal
There is really no alternative to Dani Carvajal on the right side of Real’s defense. Carvajal hasn’t looked world-class in some time, and he had defensive lapses against Levante before a disastrous display against PSG. A good bet for a bounce-back at some point, he will get to face Munir instead of Nolito on Sunday. That means Carvajal could have his best game of the season.
DM Casemiro
Casemiro is an all-important player for Real, as he is trusted to make all the tackles in midfield. He is Real’s only true defensive midfielder, and he will have to set the tone against a Sevilla midfield that has been impeccable this season.
CM Toni Kroos
If only Zinedine Zidane would let Toni Kroos play higher and press instead of exposing his lack of effort and ability when tracking back defensively. Kroos is an attacking midfielder, which makes him out of place in Real’s set-up. But Kroos is also one of the most technically prolific players in the world and is a slam-dunk to start with no other healthy midfielders.
CAM James Rodriguez
Real need to play through James. They didn’t feed him the ball enough against PSG, who did well to neutralize him with the world’s best three-man midfield defensively in Idrissa Gueye, Marco Verratti, and Marquinhos. He should fare better against Sevilla, though the home side has conceded just once in four games.
LW Eden Hazard
Although Hazard has yet to score or assist, he’s shown signs of brilliance. Nobody on Real has been better at taking defenders on or drawing fouls than Hazard, who just needs a little more health and chemistry to find his true form as an arguable top-five player in the world.
RW Gareth Bale
Against PSG, Bale looked like the most likely man to score and did have a brace on Matchday 3 against Villarreal. Bale will always be the subject of rumors, but when he’s on the pitch, he carries a threat. It will be exciting to see him go up against Real Madrid loanee Sergio Regulion, who has looked like a star at left back at Sevilla.
CF Karim Benzema
Sevilla have allowed just one goal this season, while Karim Benzema leads Real with four of the team’s nine goals. Something has to give on Sunday, and if anyone will be trusted to find the back of the net for Real, then it’s Benzema. He needs to continue to be aggressive in the middle of the pitch and command the ball from Hazard and James.