Real Madrid Vs Levante: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Levante at home in the  Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium in the La Liga match day 21. The last Real Madrid game was against Alaves which was a redemption game after a few shameful results. 

The team rating for the match against Alaves can be found here: Team Rating

Now on all games are like do or die as there is already a huge gap at the top. Real have no option but to win this fixture at any cost. 

Last year this fixture was a narrow 3-2 Win and we have already won at Levante this season 0-2.

Levante has won just 1 of 10 away games this season in the league. And they have a mid week game in the Copa del Rey, so they should have less time to recover.

Looking at the

Injury list:

1. Rodrygo
2. Nacho
3. Ramos
4. Valverde

Suspended:

1. None

Just recovered:

1. Carvajal
2. Varane

Practiced:

The rest of the players are available for selection. 

Skipped Practice:

• None

Coach Comments:

• Without Zidane in direct control Bettoni will be in charge.
  

Other Comments:

• Casemiro: We showed once again what we can do. This is the spirit with which we need to take on LaLiga.

Squad Updates:

This will be the Twenty eighth game of the season and Real have been too inconsistent in their performances, they have 15 wins, 5 Draws and 7 losses. In the last few matches the performance has dipped to the lowest of the season.  

Levante has been a tough opponent in the recent times, though they have won just 1 out of 10 games away they have been scoring 2 goals every match, lot of them ending in draws. Real will need to be careful defensively. In the attack they will expect to get chances and they should improve the efficiency to convert.

In the goal Courtois will start, he has been in a decent form. He has not been great but his performance has been fine. He has supported the defense really well.

Mendy should start on the left. Militao and Varane will start as the center backs in absence of Ramos and Nacho. But as Carvajal should be fit by this week's game he should start on the right. So Mendy, Militao, Varane and Carvajal should start. Defense has been in okay form but errors have led to goals in all the games where we have conceded. Without Marcelo the defense looks better. So, he should start on the bench and only come in the second half to provide any relief to Mendy, if we have a 2 goal cushion.

Modric has been amazing but is lacking support from the attack. He would start, and so should be Kroos. So, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric should start. Isco and few youth squad members should start from the bench. 

The forwards have been poor all season, they have been wasting several chances in front of the goal. With some improvements in the last game the forwards will look for continuity. Hazard should start on the left. Asensio should start on the Right and Benzema upfront. So, Vinicius, Lucas Vazquez and Mariano should start from the bench.

As there are 5 substitutions available, ZZ should think for more rotations in the second half especially taking into consideration that the team's fitness.

The probable substitutions will be: 

Asensio > Lucas Vazquez

Modric > Blanco/Arribas

Kroos > Isco

Benzema > Mariano

Hazard > Vinicius

So the formation would be 4 3 3.

The most probable kit to be used for the game will be the home kit!!!

So the final starting 11 will be:

Odriozola comes for Carvajal