Real Madrid Vs Real Sociedad: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Real Sociedad at home, currently they are at 5th 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. Nacho

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Bale
2. Marcelo

Practiced:

 Nacho is practicing alone.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Nothing specific

Other Comments:

• Marcelo has recovered in time and might start.
• There is too much controversy involving Bale, and ZZ would like to calm things down and might start Bale ahead of Rodrygo, given Rodrygo has joined the team late.

Squad Updates:

This is a crucial game for La Liga title race, with all the teams neck to neck. With Marcelo practicing more than Mendy he should start. So Marcelo, 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, with clean sheets in the last 5 games, things look definitely positive.

As Modric has returned early and has got more time to practice before the game with the team, I would prefer him to start. Kroos is in sublime form with two goals and one assist with the national team and Valverde would require some rest, given he joined the team slightly late.So, it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Modric. Isco will be seen as a substitute for Kroos and Valverde for Modric or Casemiro depending on the score line.

As Lucas Vazquez and James have been injured and Rodrygo joined slightly late it is tough to say if they will start. So, Hazard, Benzema and Bale should start. And will have Vinicius, Rodrygo and Jovic as substitutes depending on the work rate.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Eibar Vs Real Madrid: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Eibar away from home, currently they are at 14th and Real are at 2nd on the leader-board. With a draw in the last match Madrid is not going to take any risks this time again.

Standings

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Nacho

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Lucas Vazquez
2. James
3. Bale

Practiced:

 Bale, James and Marcelo are not training with the team.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Nothing specific

Other Comments:

• Marcelo might have a small injury and might miss.
• Carvajal: Commenting that no one doubts the commitment of Bale and James, he would also leave early during matches if not playing, it doesn't mean any less commitment.

Squad Updates:

This is a crucial game for La Liga title race, with all team neck to neck. With Marcelo being slightly injured Mendy, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will start, more so with the great work over the past games.

In the goal Courtois will start, with clean sheets in the last 4 games, things look positive.

As Modric has not played the full 90 minutes in the last game, I would prefer him to start,  so it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Modric. Isco will be seen as a substitute for Kroos and Valverde for Modric or Casemiro depending on the score line.

As Bale and James have not been playing it is tough to say if they will start but Rodrygo having played full 90 minutes should be rested. So, Hazard, Benzema and Bale or Lucas Vazquez should start. And will have Vinicius and Jovic as substitutes depending on the work rate.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Update: Lucas Vazquez to play instead of Bale, as he is not practicing with the team.

Real Madrid Vs Galatasaray: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Galatasaray at home, currently they are below Real on the leader-board in the Champions league and they are last and Madrid are 2nd. But the situation for Madrid is not very assuring and they need to win this at any cost.

Madrid is not going to take any risks this time again.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Nacho
3. James
4. Bale

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Lucas Vazquez

Practiced:

All except the injured lot.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• To be updated later

Other Comments:

• No other injury concerns, but with the rest to Marcelo and Valverde, they will probably start.

Squad Updates:

This is a crucial game for qualification to the next stage, with the defensive lapses of the past, there will be no experiments. No non-sense four, Marcelo, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will be certain to start, more so with the great work over the past games.

In the goal Courtois will start, with clean sheets in the last 3 games, things look positive.

As Modric has played full 90 minutes this Saturday having just come from injury, I would prefer him to sit out, so it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Valverde. Isco will be seen as a substitute for Kroos and Modric for Valverde depending on the score line.

As Bale and James are injured and did not practice and Rodrygo played around 80 minutes, Hazard, Benzema and Rodrygo should start. And will have Vinicius and Jovic as substitutes depending on the work rate.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Update: No Vinicius

Real Madrid Vs Real Betis: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Real Betis at home, currently they are at 16th on the leader-board, where as Real is 2nd with a game in hand. They would like to continue the momentum they had picked mid-week against Leganes.

They have had a very bad start but have won the last league match to boost their confidence.

Madrid is not going to take any risks this time again.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Nacho
3. Bale

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Lucas Vazquez
2. Mendy

Practiced:

All except the injured lot and James, who went to Colombia due to birth of his baby.

Skipped Practice:

James

Coach Comments:

• Zidane : "I don't have a 'Plan A' or a 'Plan B'," he said when asked about his starting XI.
• "Every three days I have to leave out quality players. I count on everyone.
• "It's something that bothers me a lot. I try to choose my best players, but I can change things.
• "I don't like being told that I have an A, B or C team. It's not true."

Other Comments:

• No other injury concerns, but with the Champion's league match coming there could be few players rested.

Squad Updates:

This is a crucial game to be in the title race, with the defensive lapses of the past, there will be no experiments. No non-sense four, Marcelo, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will be certain to start again, more so with the great work over the past game.

In the goal Courtois will start, with clean sheets in the last 2 games things look positive.

As Modric has just recovered he will be a sub in the midfield, it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Valverde. Modric will be given more time to get to the starting 11, may be for Champion's league. Isco will substitute Kroos, like the previous game, if the score is more than 2 goals up by half time, Isco might get the full second half, else the usual 20-25 minutes.

As Bale is injured and did not practice, Hazard, Benzema and Rodrygo should start. And will have Vinicius and Jovic as substitutes depending on the work rate.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Real Madrid Vs Leganes: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Leganes at home, currently they are at the bottom of the leader-board, where as Real is 6th with a game in hand. This is a must win after a devastating loss against lowly placed Mallorca and dropping the lead.

They have had a very bad start but have won the last league match to boost their confidence.

Madrid is not going to take any risks this time.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Nacho
3. Bale

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Modric
2. Lucas Vazquez
3. Mendy

Practiced:

All except the injured lot.

Skipped Practice:

None (Bale)

Coach Comments:

• Zidane : “Yes, they were injured," Zidane said. "Everyone here is indispensable, all 25 [players], but they were the two injured ones and we didn't want to risk them."

Other Comments:

• Speculation is Bale is having problem with ZZ and this has caused him to be out of the squad, and it has got less to do with injury.

Squad Updates:

This is a do or die game to be in the title race, with the defensive lapses of the past, there will be no experiments. No non-sense four, Marcelo, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will be certain to start.

In the goal Courtois will start with a better performance at Galatasaray, things look positive.

As Modric has just recovered he will be a sub in the midfield, it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Valverde. 

As Bale is injured and did not practice, Hazard, Benzema and Rodrygo should start. And will have Vinicius and Jovic as substitutes.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Update:

As James is not training on 29th October, he is also expected to be out of the squad.

The Starting 11: Best team for the first quarter Real Madrid

Real Madrid have completed 9 matches in the La liga, which is approximately 25% of the campaign.
And they have played 3 matches in Champion's league which has a maximum of 13 matches to win it.

Effectively 25% of the season is over.

The standings are as follows, 2nd in the league behind Barcelona, having played most of the top teams except Barcelona. If they continue the same momentum they have a good chance in the league, and just to point they have done so with several injuries. Real has lost just one match but overall performance needs improvement

So the future seems bright, the team needs more consistency in defence and goal keeping.

In the champion's league they are second behind PSG, who have a 100% win record. One desperate win, one tough draw and a bad loss, the shape of the team is not great. They will qualify it seems but given the easy group, things are not smooth for sure.

But going ahead their solid performance is what is required. In the competition they have had goals conceded from defensive lapses. The dependency on specific players is high and they are yet to find a good balance in the team.

I would go ahead and try to bring the best 11 available now.

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Nacho

Now the best Defensive unit will consist of 

Centre Backs: Ramos and Varane, though Varane is not at his best but Militao has not found his groove in the limited time he has got.

Left Back: Marcelo, Mendy has been good but is yet to replace Marcelo. If the requirement is to defend Mendy will definitely be preferred.

Right Back: Carvajal, Odriozola has been good but is far from replacing Carvajal. On any given day Carvajal will the first choice right back.

Marcelo, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will be the first choice defensive unit.

In the Midfield: 

There has been several trials, several injuries and still there is no certain starters till very recently.

Modric, Casemiro and Kroos were the formidable three but the way the current season has progressed, the best possible option is Valverde. James has been dedicated but not been able to stamp his authority as a starter and Isco has not got enough time to impact any game, even when provided with a start.

Valverde has been better than all the three senior options, given the consistency of Kroos and Casemiro the final three to man the midfield are

Kross, Casemiro and Valverde

In the forward department:

There has been several changes and nothing great except Benzema scoring a few goals and missing several others. Bale has been good on few occasions and Hazard has been silent most of the time, though he is getting better and seems like the best of all the options on the left.

Vinicius has shown sparks but no fire. Luzas and Rodrygo have been good on and off. Rodrygo is young and has started to show his mettle but there is still time he can become the part of the starting 11. Jovic has been a substitute but the end result has not been overtly positive, not a single goal from a star striker, there is a lot to do for him to be in the starting 11.

The final three in the starting 11:

Hazard, Benzema and Bale.

All others are in the 22 men squad as substitute, only Asensio and Brahim did not make it to the squad:

Galatasaray Vs Real Madrid: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Galatasaray and away from home, currently they are above Real on the leader-board in the Champions league and Madrid are at the bottom. They have the same results and same points but better goal difference as of now.

They have had  a bad start but have won the last league match to boost their confidence.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Lucas Vazquez
3. Modric
4. Bale

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Nacho
2. Marcelo
3. Kroos
4. Raphael Varane
5. Valverde
6. Mendy

Practiced:

All except the injured lot.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Zidane : Zidane: "Modric, Bale and Lucas are not available."
• "We've got a chance tomorrow to prove ourselves and that's what we are going to try and do."

Squad Updates:

This is a do or die game, with the defensive lapses of the past, there will be no experiments. No non-sense four, Marcelo, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal will be certain to start.

In the goal Courtois is not great and Areola is playing really well. So, he should start but ZZ will start with Courtois.

As there is no Modric in the midfield, it is going to be Casemiro, Kroos and Valverde. Isco and James are now available but have not been great in the last match, they have been slow and lacked creativity hence will start from the bench.

As Bale and Vazquez are injured, Hazard, Benzema and Vinicius should start. And will have Rodrygo or Brahim and Jovic as substitutes for Vinicius and Benzema, on a as need be basis.

So the final starting 11 will be:

RCD Mallorca Vs Real Madrid: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Mallorca and away from home, currently they are 18th on the leader-board in the league and Madrid are at the top.

They have won 2 matches in the league and one of them is the last match.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Lucas Vazquez
3. Modric
4. Bale

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1. Isco
2. Nacho
3. Marcelo
4. Courtois
5. Kroos
6. Raphael Varane
7. Valverde
8. Mend

Practiced:

All except the injured lot.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Zidane : Zidane: "Modric, Bale, Kroos and Lucas are not available."

As Mendy, Nacho and Marcelo are all recovered from injury the left back position is going to be a puzzle. 

Varane has recovered from injury but might get rested for champions league game mid week. Ramos has also rested with Spain so should start. And Carvajal might get some rest after playing with Spain, and looking at the mid week game.

So, it will be probably Marcelo, Ramos, Militao and Odriozola in the defence.

In the goal Courtois is not ready and Areola is playing really well. So,  he will start.

As Isco is fully fit. No other mid-field player is ready, Kroos and James have just recovered, Casemiro and Valverde have traveled and returned within 2 days and Modric is injured.

So, given the condition, Isco will play full 90 Mins, Casemiro, James and Valverde will share 180 mins. Casemiro and James will start as per sources.

As Bale and Vazquez are injured, Hazard, Benzema and Vinicius should start. And will have Rodrygo and Jovic as substitutes for Hazard and Benzema as they will be required in Galatasaray mid-week.

So the final starting 11 will be:

Carvajal might come in place of Odriozola, and Mendy for Marcelo given the mid-week game situation.

Real Madrid Vs Granada: The Starting 11

The upcoming match is against Granada at home, currently they are 2nd on the leader-board in the league and Madrid are at the top.

They are in top form and have lost just one game.

First I would like to see the 

Injury list:

1. Asensio
2. Mendy
3. Marcelo (Relapse of injury)
4. Nacho
5. Courtois

Suspended:

1.     None 

Just recovered:

1.   Isco (no game time yet)

Practiced:

All except the injured lot.

Skipped Practice:

None

Coach Comments:

• Zidane confirmed unavailability of Courtois. 
• Question: Bale as left wing-back?

Zidane: “No, I haven't been thinking about that at all. I believe that we've got other options ahead of that one. Militão is an option, he's a defender and has played there. He's also played at right wing-back. It's an option".

• Zidane: “There is no hierarchy. When you've got a squad like ours, you can't say that any one player is more important than another. My players train well and want to play. I'm the one that decides and the players have to be ready.”

Other Comments:

• Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius, Brahim and Mariano aren’t called up for technical decision 

As Mendy, Nacho and Marcelo are all injured the left back position is vacant. Zidane might play Militao as a left back or will have a 3 men defence with Casemiro guarding the defence from Mid-field.

So, it will be either Militao, Ramos, Varane and Carvajal or Ramos, Varane and Carvajal.

In the goal Courtois is not available and Areola is playing really well. So, undoubtedly he will start.

As Isco has not got game time is a clear choice for substitution having just recovered from injury. As James is fresh after being rested during mid-week game and Modric had played full 90 minutes, ideally James should start and Modric should be option for substitution.

So, mid-field will have Kroos, Casemiro and James.  

Hazard, Benzema and Bale should start. And will have Rodrygo and Jovic as substitutes for Hazard and Benzema.

With the Squad news:

So the final starting 11 will be: