Leganes vs. Real Madrid: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Christopher Simpson @@CJSimpsonBRFeatured ColumnistFebruary 20, 2018

SEVILLA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 18: Marco Asensio of Real Madrid celebrates 2-3 with Daniel Carvajal of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between Real Betis Sevilla v Real Madrid at the Estadio Benito Villamarin on February 18, 2018 in Sevilla Spain (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Real Madrid will play their game in hand in La Liga on Wednesday when they travel to the Estadio Municipal de Butarque to face Leganes.

Los Blancos have been a game down on their rivals since December because of their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup, and they will move into third place if they win here.

Read on for the latest team news and a preview of the contest, but first here are the viewing details:

Date: Wednesday, February 21

Time: 5:45 p.m. GMT/12:45 p.m. ET

TV: Sky Sports, beIN Sports USA

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports Connect USA

Team News

According to The Sun's Helen Rowe-Willcocks, Leganes will be without Darko Brasanac and Jon Ander Serantes as both are nursing shoulder injuries, but Alexander Szymanowski and Mauro dos Santos could feature, having returned to training following issues of their own.

As for Real, they will be without Toni Kroos, who remains absent with a knee injury, while Marcelo's hamstring injury in Sunday's clash with Real Betis has put him on the sidelines.

Jesus Vallejo is also out with a muscle problem, per Rowe-Willcocks.

Preview

Real have virtually no chance of winning La Liga at this stage—they will be 14 points behind Barcelona even if they beat Leganes—but it's vital they pick up three points on Wednesday.

If they can do so, they will be nine points clear of fifth-placed Sevilla and can enjoy some breathing room in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Following their 5-3 win over Betis on Sunday, it's clear Los Blancos have improved dramatically in an attacking sense:

B/R Football @brfootball
Real Madrid are a team transformed in front of goal 💪 https://t.co/fzMB43XrR1

Marco Asensio—who made a significant impact off the bench in their Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain—once again stood out as he struck twice.

Squawka Football supplied the numbers behind his superb performance:

Squawka Football @Squawka
Marco Asensio's game by numbers vs. Real Betis: 59 touches 32 (86%) passes completed 2 shots 2 shots on target 2 goals 2 tackles won 1 chance created Fulfilling his potential and then some. https://t.co/6i85OvdbeB

Football journalist David Cartlidge hailed the Spaniard:

David Cartlidge @davidjaca
Asensio’s finishing is better than most strikers. Just has that natural ability in his game.

David Cartlidge @davidjaca
Asensio needs to be a regular, no chopping or changing from now until the end of the season. Just brings so much to the table that Real Madrid lack in abundance.

It's likely he will be deployed again on Wednesday, and if he is, Leganes can expect all manner of problems.

However, while Madrid have improved going forward, it's evident they have not done the same at the back.

Real have not kept a clean sheet in La Liga since December 9, and they've shipped seven goals in their last three.

That will give Leganes—who beat Real 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Copa del Rey on January 24—great encouragement, so the champions need to improve defensively if they are to make sure of a win.