Espanyol Vs Real Madrid: The Starting 11

La Liga Title Prediction: CLICK HERE

The upcoming match is against Espanyol away from home in the La liga match day 32. Espanyol are 20th on the leader-board and Real are 1st and with equal points with Barcelona on the league table. This game is one of the most important game to have any chance in the league, Madrid can not take any risks at all and have to win at any cost if they want to remain in contention, more so with football coming back after a break.

Real Madrid had won 2-0 at home in the first leg.

Looking at the 

Injury list:

1. Nacho
2. Lucas Vazquez
3. Reiner Jesus

Suspended:

1. Mendy
2. Modric

Just recovered:

1. Jovic

Practiced:

The  rest of the team is available. 

Skipped Practice:

• None

Coach Comments:

• To be updated. 

Other Comments:

• None.

Squad Updates:

This is a very crucial game for the league title as with no point difference it is still under sight but very tight, it can only get wider if we play well and wait for Barcelona's mistakes. This is one of the slightly easy games after which there will be several tough ones, but know Zidane he will rotate his team to keep them fresh and sharp.

In the goal Courtois will start, should be a no-brainer.

Militao and Varane will start as the center backs, as Ramos needs some rest. Mendy is not available due to suspension so Marcelo will start on the left and will provide better defensive option and Carvajal will start on the right. So Marcelo, Militao, Varane and Carvajal should start. Defence has to be particularly alert, there has been occasional lapses causing goals, more so when Ramos is not their.

All the mid-fielders except Modric, who misses out due suspension are available but all are not sharp on most days. It is a very difficult decision for ZZ to pick the three. There has been lack of any consistency in the last few games but looking at the next game, it is going to be Kroos, Casemiro and Isco in the middle. Valverde and James will be on the bench. With matches coming thick and fast these substitutions will be key to maintaining the fitness.

As forwards have been sharp but their are several options available of ZZ, it is a real headache, whom to start. Vinicius was great but needs rest, so it should also be a tough decision to start him. Ideally it should be HBR, Hazard, Benzema and Rodrygo, and Vinicius, Bale and Asensio should be on the bench.

As now 5 substitutions are available, this is a great time to rotate the squad for ZZ.

The probable substitutions will be: 

Rodrygo > Asensio

Hazard > Vinicius

Isco > James

Kroos > Valverde

Benzema > Mariano/Bale

Militao > Ramos

So the formation would be 4 3 3.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Real Madrid Vs Espanyol: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Espanyol at home, currently they are at 19th and Real are 2nd on the leader-board. With equal points with Barcelona Madrid is not going to take any risks this time again.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. James
3. Lucas Vazquez
4. Hazard
5. Marcelo

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Nacho

Practiced:

Asensio, James, Hazard and Lucas Vázquez continue with their recovery processes. Bale combined work in the gym and out on the pitch.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Nothing specific

Other Comments:

• There is some doubt on Bale, he might be ready in time for a substitute but not in the starting 11.

Squad Updates:

This is a crucial game for La Liga title race, with all the teams neck to neck. With Varane back practicing regularly we will have him in the starting 11 and as Marcelo has a muscular injury he should miss and Mendy should start. So Mendy, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will start, more so with the great work over the past few games by the defence.

In the goal Courtois will start, having got some rest with Areola playing one game, things look definitely positive.

All the four super mid-fielders are doing great, Modric, Kroos, Valverde and Casemiro. As Casemiro is on 4 yellow cards, he will start and try to be available for El clasico. So, it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Modric. 

Isco will start again as Bale is not fully fit, Bale will be seen as a substitute and Valverde for Modric or Kroos depending on the score line.

As Lucas Vazquez and James have been injured and Rodrygo should start. So, Isco, Benzema and Rodrygo should start. and will have Vinicius, Bale and Jovic as substitutes depending on the work rate.

So the final starting 11 will be: