2. Fitness and using the five substitution rules well.
The players haven’t played a full game in over three months and have just recently started training in full groups. While all the players were given specialized training to follow at their respective homes, it’s not the same as a full-fledged training that the team goes through normally.
Usually, after a long break, clubs have a pre-season period where players are slowly eased into training to help reduce muscle injuries and get them match-fit. But there’s no such preseason period this time around. Therefore, it will take some time before the players are back to their top physical condition and achieve their normal match fitness.
But with the league starting now, the fitness levels of players between the two teams will be a key factor. Fitter players mean the team plays much better than the other, especially in the latter stages of the game. If Madrid manages to have a better level of fitness they can dominate Eibar much more easily and secure a win.
To help reduce injuries and strain on the players, the clubs have been allowed to use five substitutions in a game for the remainder of the season. This will be another advantage for Real Madrid as they have one of the best squads in the world.
If Coach Zinedine Zidane manages to use his five substitutions well, he’ll be able to turn games to Madrid’s advantage easily. The Whites have enough talent in the squad that they can replace five players from the bench and not experience a major drop-off.
It will be up to Zidane to make the right substitutions at the right time and help the team achieve victory.