Real host Eibar at the Alfredo Di Stefano
Real Madrid play host to bottom half strugglers Eibar at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, usual home of Castilla, hoping to get their title bid back up and running. Zinedine Zidane’s men did the hard work to regain top spot two matches ago by beating Barcelona 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu before slipping up away at Real Betis to allow Quique Setien’s men to return to the summit when the season was suspended. Zizou’s side led by Sergio Ramos will be eager to ensure no such slip up occurs again with little margin error, sitting two points behind FCB with 11 matches still left to play.
Background
The underlying numbers and expected goals suggest that Real and Barca should swap places with the Galacticos recording two more expected points than their title rivals. They have the best defensive unit in the division, the league leaders shipping 12 more and will be desperate to deprive the Catalan Giants of completing a hattrick of La Liga triumphs.
Key men
The standout creator in this poor Eibar side is Fabian Orellana, he has the most league goals and assists for the club and will be crucial to try and relieve pressure on Sunday evening. The Chile international is aged 34 and is vastly experienced in La Liga, such that has been crucial in steering the Gunsmiths into 16th place. They are two points above Real Mallorca in 18th, aiming to secure a sixth successive campaign in Spain’s topflight in this their debut tenure in the division. Orellana has scored 35 and assisted 42 in 253 outings in the top tier, he can occupy any position behind the strikers and will spearhead the attacking contingent at the weekend.
Brazilian holding midfielder Casemiro is one of Real’s best additions in recent years and was brought in with outstanding value compared to their usual transfer dealings. The 28-year-old joined from Sao Paulo in July 2013 for just £5.4million, and after a loan spell with Porto has been a mainstay in front of the back four. 229 appearances and four Champions League crowns later Zizou’s found the perfect player to facilitate an affluent penetrative middle of the pitch. Doing a lot of defensive duties to allow freedom to aging players like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos around him.
Eibar’s offence is one of relegation form and coming up against the best defensive unit in the league suggests a tough evening. If Real score early, this could be a romping.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Real let their guard down once, 3-0 up, Eibar unfortunately got their consolation goal on the hour mark, that is how it ended.