Real Madrid vs. Las Palmas: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Real Madrid will attempt to snap a dire run of form when they host Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in La Liga on Sunday.
Champions Real are third and eight points behind old enemy Barcelona after losing 2-1 to newly promoted Girona last time out.
Things haven't gone smoothly for Los Blancos in Europe, either. Real lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday.
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Injury concerns will dominate Zinedine Zidane's squad's preparation. Centre-back Raphael Varane, forward Gareth Bale and goalkeeper Keylor Navas will all need to be checked ahead of Sunday.
Meanwhile, things are even tougher for Las Palmas, who find themselves in the bottom three after losing 3-1 at home to Deportivo La Coruna last time out.
Date: Sunday, November 5
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
TV Info: Sky Sports Football. beIN Sports.
Live Stream: Sky Go. beIN Sports CONNECT.
Preview
Varane, Navas and Bale were all missing against Spurs. The former pair's absence was felt the most, as Tottenham overwhelmed Real's depleted defence.
In particular, Varane's stand-in, Nacho, struggled to contain the power of centre-forward Harry Kane and the movement of attacking midfielder Dele Alli. Unfortunately, the Frenchman could be set to miss out again, along with right-back Dani Carvajal, per Goal's Oli Platt.
There is one bonus for Real, with Bale back in training, per Ben Hayward of Goal. Having the Welshman alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will revive what has been an inconsistent forward line this season.
Bale's pace, aerial prowess and shooting power are too much for most defences in the Spanish top flight. The former Spurs man draws markers out of position to create space for attacking talisman Ronaldo.
Real's prolific No. 7 has identified Bale's return as key to the team turning their fortunes around, per Alex Smith of the Daily Mirror. Ronaldo needs support given he has scored just once in six appearances in La Liga this term.
It will be easier for Ronaldo and Co. to get back on form if Real's midfield improves the supply. The onus is on playmakers Luka Modric and Toni Kroos to do more in the final third.
Creativity could also be in short supply for Las Palmas, as "Alen Halilovic, Oussama Tannane and Jonathan Viera [will] all miss out through injury," per Hayward.
The absences will likely lead to a lack of support for former Chelsea forward Loic Remy. His pace and movement could cause Real's back four problems if his team-mates can play the passes to match his runs.
Both teams need a win in the worst way, but Real's steady return to full strength will prove decisive. Last season's champions should win by at least two goals.
