Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will make four line up changes to the team that beat Celta Vigo last time out when his men travel to Osasuna.
The fixture is Los Blancos’ ultimate La Liga meeting ahead of the international break, and the Italian doesn’t expect it to be easy.
“It’s going to be tough, demanding, but we want to finish this phase of the season well,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, where it was also admitted that Champions League quarterfinals foes Manchester City are “probably the best team in Europe”.
“Tomorrow is very important. We go into the break in a good position, hungry for more and knowing that the visit to El Sadar will be difficult,” he added.
Real Madrid currently nurses a seven-point advantage over second-place Girona, and an eight point lead measured against their Catalan neighbours FC Barcelona at the Spanish top flight summit.
Ancelotti sees his team as “better than ever”, as the leaders in La Liga that are in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and “on the verge of recovering [Thibaut] Courtois and [Eder] Militao, with no more injuries, [and] hungry”.
“Maybe I’ll say this and tomorrow we’ll play badly. But we’re better than ever, that’s the reality,” Ancelotti reiterated.
For the 16.15 kick off in Spain, Andriy Lunin will be Madrid’s goalkeeper protected by a back line of Dani Carvajal, who replaces Lucas Vazquez, Toni Rudiger, Nacho and Ferland Mendy.
In midfield, after a much-needed rest against Celta Vigo, Toni Kroos returns to the side as does Aurelien Tchouameni.
There is no spot in the starting XI for Eduardo Camavinga, with the last vacancy in a central midfield trio occupied by Fede Valverde.
At the tip of attacking midfield, it is Brahim Diaz, who chose to represent Morocco and not Spain this weekend and explained his decision on television, that replaces the suspended Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham was banned for two matches at Valencia, after using a swear word that referee Gil Manzano took as an insult.
He won’t be back until a meeting with Athletic Club, which comes at the end of the month following him representing England.
Up top, Joselu comes in for a struggling Rodrygo and will partner a winger in Vinicius Jr’s whose relationship with the club was previously described by Relevo as being in “crisis”.
Real Madrid Starting XI Vs. Osasuna: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Brahim; Rodrygo or Joselu and Vinicius