With their third consecutive draw against a yellow-wearing rival, Real Madrid must take a stand and get back to victory road. Eighth-placed Eibar will visit the Bernabéu in this final game before another international break. The Basque team do use an away kit that’s yellow, so they could pick it just to mess with the psychology of their rival. Real need a win before having their players travel away.
Preferred Formation: 4-3-3
Zinedine Zidane will have to face another national team exodus. With Marcelo and Casemiro injured, most of the international players will get called up, raising chances for injuries. He must set up this lineup knowing that his usual starters will most likely be starters during the break. Fatigue could accumulate quickly, and some players are in desperate need of a rest.
GK: Keylor Navas
He may have been rushed back to such a high-profile case, yet he needed to come back sooner or later. He’s been out for an extended period, so he must gain everyone’s trust back with excellent performances.
Defense
RB: Danilo
The left wing may not be forced on him again because of Coentrão’s reappearance. This will put the right back rotation in motion again, with him and Carvajal switching every game or every other game.
CB: Pepe
The Portuguese missed the Champions League clash despite him being expected to play. Captain Sergio Ramos will most likely open up this spot for him. It’s a good moment to pair up with his usual competitor.
CB: Raphaël Varane
He made a mistake that forced the first equalizer. He redeemed himself by scoring the second goal. Since Ramos is expected to rest, the best possible pair is this one, but Nacho could be surprise addition for either of them.
LB: Fábio Coentrão
He was called up for the first time on Wednesday since his return to the club this past summer. Danilo occupied this position at Dortmund, yet it’s time to use up other available men. Nacho could also show up here.
Midfield
RCM: James Rodríguez
The Colombian played from the start mid-week. While there’s no certainty that Modrić will rest, if he does, the #10 is a top choice for replacing him. Someone will need to bring that creativity to the mix.
CM: Mateo Kovačić
Toni Kroos has been stripped away from resting since Casemiro’s injury. Still, he has to stop at some point. This is the ideal opportunity for him to do so, since he’s an essential piece for the German national team.
LCM: Isco
He’ll return to the Spain national team after missing the last set of matches because of injury. He hasn’t been very important lately, so it would be fair to send him in and assess his current state more appropriately.
Attack
RW: Gareth Bale
His stats have been unimpressive this season so far. He needs a match that allows him to do what he does best. The BBC needs to step up their game overall, so the Welshman must do his part as soon as possible.
ST: Álvaro Morata
He only played a handful of minutes on Wednesday. He could get a chance to play from the start. However, Benzema won’t be playing with France during the break, so the Frenchman could be a possible option.
LW: Cristiano Ronaldo
His form is still miles away from his best one. He usually does well against smaller teams, so this could be a chance to regain his confidence. He won’t be benched anytime time soon unless something forces him to.
(4-3-3)
