Real Madrid will look to extend their winning run as they face bottom-side Almeria, a team that fired their manager Francisco Rodriguez early this week.
Los Blancos shouldn’t have any problems to defeat a team that has only scored 11 goals in 14 games –Los Merengues have netted 51 so far. However, the Andalusians caused Barcelona big trouble when they hosted the Azulgranas last month and will look to repeat their good performance against La Liga leaders.
Carlo Ancelotti will miss Sergio Ramos, who will sit out due to suspension. James Rodriguez, Sami Khedira and Luka Modric are also sidelined due to injury.
Asier Illarramendi and Toni Kroos will most likely repeat as midfield pair, with Isco and Gareth Bale on the sides. Raphael Varane is expected to replace Ramos in the centre of defence.
Almeria’s youth team manager Miguel Rivera will coach the hosts against Real Madrid, since new manager Juan Ignacio Martinez was hired in the last few hours and has not arrived on time for the game.
Rivera will miss Mauro dos Santos due to injury and Verza, who was shown his fifth yellow card of the season in Almeria’s 5-2 loss against Eibar.
Possible line-ups:
Almeria: Ruben; Navarro, Velez, Trujillo, Mane; Azeez, Thomas; Jonathan, Soriano, Mendez; Hemed.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Varane, Marcelo; Bale, Kroos, Illarramendi, Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo.
