Real Madrid know that they are still alive in La Liga but to have any chance of topping the league by the end of the season, they cannot afford to drop more points. What makes it more interesting is after this, they take on Barcelona in the league with the match sandwiched between two crucial UEFA Champions League matches against Liverpool.
Even though changes will be expected when Los Blancos take on Eibar on Saturday night, that does not mean that Zidane won’t still do his best to come out with a strong lineup while still keeping in mind the injuries and the next three massive games for the team.
Goalkeeper
There is no doubts or changes here as Thibaut Courtois is the man expected to stand between the sticks. There was slight concern for his fitness while he was with the Belgian National Team, but the goalkeeper seems fit and ready to play with no complications.
Defenders
The changes begin here as Lucas Vazquez still doesn’t seem to be back at 100% while starting Dani Carvajal will be extremely risky even if he’s back on the squad list. Therefore at right-back, all signs point to Nacho Fernandez, who is expected to be picked ahead of Alvaro Odriozola on the night.
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In the center, we should be seeing the familiar duo of Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos starting. The captain recently returned from injury but things appear to be going smoothly with him during the International Break.
On the left, could we see Zidane give Marcelo a rare chance to start? The Brazilian is fully rested and fit while Ferland Mendy could be a little more tired. Could be a good idea to rest the Frenchman ahead of a decisive week.
Midfielders
With news that both Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde are on the injury list, things are definitely a little worrying for the club. These are both players that could be difference-makers in the team and even though they will not be available on Saturday, we just hope to see them back in time for the midweek fixture.
Carlos Casemiro will be expecting to start though and he knows how valuable his place is to the team while he will probably have Luka Modric in front of him with the Croatian partnering up with Isco. The Spanish midfielder has taken his chances well over the past few games that he was picked and will want to continue building on that.
Forwards
It would make sense to see Marco Asensio take his place back in the lineup as he’s one of the players who stayed at the club during International Break and will be ready to take part in the upcoming game.
On the opposite side, it’s a coin-toss but looks like the manager will end up going with Vinicius Junior. Keep an eye on this though as it could mean that whoever is not picked may be a surprise start in the match against Liverpool. Up front, the fixture list and congestion will almost never stop Karim Benzema from starting.
Full Predicted Lineup
Thibaut Courtois, Nacho Fernandez, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Carlos Casemiro, Luka Modric, Isco, Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema
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