Real Madrid vs. Eibar: Team News, Preview, Live Stream and TV Info
It has been a week of ups and downs on the road for Real Madrid, but they’ll expect to end it with a comfortable home victory.
An El Clasico victory at the Camp Nou is something to be cherished in any Real season, but no sooner were Zinedine Zidane and his players done with celebrating that, they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at Wolfsburg in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
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Coming back to win that tie might be the focus of Real’s attention next week, but before that they need to beat an Eibar side who will head to the Santiago Bernabeu hoping to end a seven-game winless run.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side have had a largely impressive season despite poor form in 2016, and they’ll head to the capital ready to play with freedom and doubtless encouraged by what Wolfsburg did in midweek.
Date: Saturday, April 9
Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
TV Info: beIN Sports
Live Stream: beIN Sports
Last 6 Results
Real Madrid
Won 7-1 vs. Celta Vigo
Won 2-0 vs. Roma
Won 2-1 vs. Las Palmas
Won 4-0 vs. Sevilla
Won 2-1 vs. Barcelona
Lost 2-0 vs. Wolfsburg
Eibar
Lost 1-0 vs. Las Palmas
Lost 1-0 vs. Sevilla
Lost 4-0 vs. Barcelona
Drew 1-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano
Drew 1-1 vs. Getafe
Lost 2-1 vs. Villarreal
Team News
Real Madrid
Yet another red card for Sergio Ramos means that the Spain international is ruled out of this clash, and with Raphael Varane still out injured that means that Nacho could come in at centre-back alongside Pepe.
Dani Carvajal could come in for Danilo after the latter had a poor game in Wolfsburg, while further forward, Karim Benzema went off in the first half in midweek and could make way for the man who replaced him there, Jese Rodriguez.
Possible XI: Navas, Carvajal, Nacho, Pepe, Marcelo, Casemiro, Modric, Kroos, Bale, Ronaldo, Jese.
Eibar
A run of one win in 11 is hardly ideal preparation for facing Real Madrid, but Eibar coach Mendilibar isn’t likely to make many changes from the side which lost at home to Villarreal last time out.
He’s likely to pack the midfield and hope that the on-loan Atletico Madrid forward Borja Baston can produce something on the break, with both Borja Ekiza and Jaime Jimenez still out injured.
Possible XI: Riesgo, Capa, Dos Santos, Echaide, Junca, Carrillo, Escalante, Keko, Jota, Inui, Borja.
Key Players
Real Madrid: Casemiro
He’s been an increasingly vital cog in Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid machine over the past few weeks, and the Brazilian midfielder Casemiro will be crucial here as the hosts seek to make this as simple an assignment as possible.
For that to be the case, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are going to need to be given the ball as often as possible, and if Casemiro can lock down possession in midfield then they’ll have every chance to do just that.
Eibar: Borja Baston
There is a growing sense that Atletico Madrid don’t need to bring in a new forward in the summer as a replacement for the departed Jackson Martinez, as they’ve already got one in Borja Baston.
The 23-year-old from Madrid has been in fantastic form during his loan spell at Eibar this season, scoring 18 goals as the side spared from relegation last season have never really looked in relegation trouble.
If Eibar are to score a goal at the Bernabeu, then it is likely to come from him.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Real Madrid—1/5
Eibar—14/1
Draw—7/1
