Preview: Real Madrid vs. Eibar - prediction, team news

Real Madrid will be looking to make it four victories in a row in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Eibar on Saturday afternoon.

Los Blancos, who are third in the table, entered the international break off the back of a 3-1 victory at Celta Vigo, while 18th-placed Eibar played out a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao last time out.

Match preview

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Madrid have had their problems during the 2020-21 campaign, but it could still be a very successful campaign for the club as they chase success in both La Liga and the Champions League.

Los Blancos will take on Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the European Cup, with the first leg to be held next week, while they are currently third in La Liga, just six points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane 's side are two points behind second-placed Barcelona, meanwhile, and the two teams will lock horns in the Spanish capital on April 10, with both sides chasing down leaders Atletico Madrid.

It is a vital stage of the season for Madrid as they take on Liverpool twice and Barca in their next three fixtures, and the reigning Spanish champions should be in a confident mood, having won eight of their last 10 matches in all competitions, remaining beaten in the process.

The capital giants have the best away record in La Liga this term but have lost three times on their own patch, and the fact that Eibar are fighting for their lives makes this a potentially tricky encounter for Zidane's team.

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Eibar are also in desperate need of the points but for very different seasons, with the club currently battling to escape the relegation zone.

Basement side Huesca are in action on Friday evening, meaning that Eibar could have dropped to 19th by the time that they take to the field for this match, but it is so tight at the bottom of the division, with just four points separating 19th-placed Alaves from 16th-placed Real Valladolid.

Los Armeros are actually operating in their seventh straight season at this level of football, and they have finished ninth, 12th and 14th in their last three top-flight campaigns.

Jose Luis Mendilibar 's side are currently battling to escape the bottom three, though, and they managed to pick up a welcome point at Athletic before the international break.

Eibar have not won in the league since the start of January, though, while they have been victorious in just one of their last 17 matches in Spain's top flight.

Real Madrid La Liga form:

W

W

D

D

W

W

Real Madrid form (all competitions):

W

D

D

W

W

W

Eibar La Liga form:

D

L

D

L

L

D

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Team News

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Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal are making progress in their recoveries from injury, but the pair will not be involved for Madrid this weekend.

Federico Valverde and Toni Kroos trained with Los Blancos on Wednesday and could potentially feature against Eibar, although Zidane will not take any risks with the midfield pair ahead of an important period.

Alvaro Odriozola is now available following a spell on the sidelines, but Mariano Diaz remains a doubt.

Isco could be in line for a start if neither Kroos nor Valverde recover in time, while Sergio Ramos is expected to line up in a three-man defence with Nacho and Raphael Varane.

As for Eibar, Yoshinori Muto, Jose Angel, Pedro Bigas and Roberto Correa remain on the sidelines through injury, while Edu Exposito is also unlikely to be available.

The manner of the performance against Athletic last time out means that Mendilibar could decide to select the same XI for a second successive match.

Kike was on the scoresheet at San Mames and should again lead the away side's attack, while Kevin Rodrigues, Bryan Gil and Aleix Garcia are all expected to feature in the final third.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Varane, Ramos, Nacho; Vazquez, Modric, Casemiro, Isco, Mendy; Vinicius, Benzema

Eibar possible starting lineup:

Dmitrovic; Pozo, Oliveira, Arbilla, Rafa; Alvarez, Diop; Gil, Garcia, Rodrigues; Kike

We say: Real Madrid 2-0 Eibar

Madrid will be desperate to continue their winning run ahead of three extremely important matches, and we are finding it difficult to look past Zidane's side this weekend. Eibar are also in need of the points, but the champions should have more than enough to secure the victory.

Top tip

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