How will Real Madrid line up against Eibar?
There was a time where we believed this day would never come but here we are! It will take some getting used to as we will be watching a game with no fans, Real Madrid playing at a different ‘home’, and the fact that the players are all going to be a little rusty in the beginning but here we are nonetheless. Real Madrid prepare to take on Eibar as they keep up the chase on Barcelona.
Goalkeeper for Real Madrid vs. Eibar
It’s pretty much impossible to for anyone to be taking up the space between the sticks other than a fit Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian was in incredible form right before the temporary suspension of La Liga and he will be expected to come out as if he’s not missed a single day. He is a massive reason behind why we’re so close in the title race and he’ll want to continue contributing.
Real Madrid will start these defenders
Real Madrid currently only have one natural right-back and that is Dani Carvajal who has faced some problems with consistency so far this season. However, the break may have done him good and we are all aware of the Spaniard’s skillset.
In the center, I’ll be surprised if we don’t see the solid duo of Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos. The French defender has been one of our best players during the season and even though he does usually struggle with injury, he has been able to play consistently so far this year.
As for Sergio Ramos, we know what he brings to the table and even though the Captain may not always be at his best, he’s a leader on the pitch and is able to do something that no one else can when it comes to moving the team forward. Also, his “Quarantine Beard” could help scare off some opponents.
On the right side, I truly hope we go back to seeing Ferland Mendy. Marcelo has had a very poor season so far but took us back to why we love him during El Clasico before being unable to continue that form as Los Blancos lost to Real Betis. Mendy has been in great form and even though he has a few things to work on, he is currently our best left-back.
Real Madrid Midfielders
The return of the Tank in Carlos Casemiro is expected. Zinedine Zidane used the Brazilian very often before the break and that is not something that we are going to see being changed anytime soon. In front of him, we will most probably see the manager go with his classic central midfield partnership.
Toni Kroos is almost always expected to start but his partner may be Luka Modric on the night which is always a nail-biter for Madridistas. Hopefully it’ll be one of the better nights if this happens! They are both incredible players but the chemistry simply isn’t what it once was.
Real Madrid Forwards
Here is where things actually get a little interesting. It’s very difficult to predict what would be going through Zidane’s mind here. Should Marco Asensio start? What about Eden Hazard?
I personally think it’s too early for either one of them to start the game but they’ll most probably both be on the bench as Zidane will want to slowly integrate them into the game and use them in what will be an extremely hectic schedule.
On the left to start off, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing the speed and agility of Vinicius Junior mixed with the sudden sprints and bullet shots of Gareth Bale on the right who should be taking the remainder of the season as one last chance to prove he belongs at the club.
Up front, the fan-favorite Karim Benzema will be starting but we’ll have to be careful with him as both Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz are injured.