3 Things Real Madrid Should Test in Champions League Clash vs. Ludogorets

Played five, won five... why not make it six?

Real Madrid welcome Bulgarian side Ludogorets to the Bernabeu on Tuesday night with no need to win the game other than for their own personal pride.

With a nine-point lead at the top of their Champions League group, Los Blancos are already through to the knockout stages as group winners.

Meanwhile, at the bottom, Ludogorets' inferior head-to-head record with both Liverpool and Basel means even a win in the Spanish capital won't send them through—although it could clinch them a Europa League spot.

However, with win No. 19 in sight, Carlo Ancelotti's side should remain as focused as ever.

Cristiano Ronaldo, locked in a personal battle with Lionel Messi to be the competition's all-time top scorer, will also be intent on doing damage.

But that doesn't mean the European champions won't make some changes; the following slides take a look at what Madrid's Italian boss should look to try out.

Jese Rodriguez (again)

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These low-risk games, such as last week's Copa del Rey meeting with UE Cornella, are coming at the perfect time for the returning Jese Rodriguez.

He came on and scored in that Copa win, with banners carrying his name greeting his comeback after a nine-month injury layoff.

Carlo Ancelotti decided not to rush things, though, and left the Canary Island-born forward out of the squad for Saturday's 3-0 win over Celta Vigo.

However, the visit of Ludogorets is the perfect occasion for the next stage of Jese’s recovery.

But he won't start.

Ancelotti confirmed in his pre-match press conference, per Real Madrid TV's Phil Kitromilides, that the 21-year-old will instead come on as a substitute in the second half, adding that by the New Year he will be "100 percent ready."

Isco-Illarramendi midfield

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Prior to the weekend, Asier Illarramendi had made just one start in the Champions League and one in La Liga—by the time he wakes up on Wednesday morning he should have doubled that total.

With Luka Modric injured and Sami Khedira struggling, the former Real Sociedad midfielder is in line for his second successive start.

He replaced the suspended Isco against Celta Vigo, partnering Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, and Carlo Ancelotti and Madrid-based newspaper Marca felt he did well:

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"Illarra did really well in both phases of the game, in attack and in defence, and showed character," Ancelotti stressed after the match.

This praise aptly summed up the feelings of the crowd, who must have relished seeing the anchorman looking so assured.

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Against Ludogorets, he has the chance to play with Isco, rather than replace him—Kroos should complete the midfield.

The duo arrived last summer, along with Dani Carvajal, as the faces of a new, Spanish-looking Madrid side.

But one year later, it is Isco who is beginning to justify the praise heaped on both players when they signed on in 2013; on Tuesday night Illarra will have another chance to display why he built such an impressive reputation at Anoeta.

The Kids

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With mounting injuries in midfield and Sergio Ramos suspended, some changes will be enforced on Carlo Ancelotti on Tuesday night.

However, the team he fields should still be fairly strong.

Keylor Navas is expected to start in goal, while Nacho Fernandez, Raphael Varane, Fabio Coentrao and Javier Hernandez are also likely to be given a chance from the off.

However, if the game goes to plan, there may well be an opportunity for him to blood some more of his youngsters in the second half.

Jese Rodriguez will be one of the substitutes, and he may well be followed on to the pitch by some even younger players.

Alvaro Medran, 20, has been regularly involved with the first-team squad recently, and Ancelotti may use the midfielder off the bench against Ludogorets.

Beyond Medran, Marca (in Spanish) reported that there were three players from Madrid's Juvenil A side training at Valdebebas with the senior pros on Monday morning.

Borja Sanchez and Sergio Molina, two 18-year-old midfielders, and Borja Mayoral, a 17-year-old-striker, were the three, and they will all be hoping to be included in Ancelotti's squad.