La Liga leaders Real Madrid will be aiming to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they welcome Sevilla to Bernabeu on Sunday night.
Carlo Ancelotti's side will enter the contest off the back of a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano, while Sevilla continued their recent strong run of form with a 0-0 away to Valencia last time out.
Match preview
© Reuters
Real Madrid are the team to catch in La Liga heading into the final months of the campaign, with Los Blancos proving to be the best that Spain's top flight have to offer during the 2023-24 season.
Ancelotti's side boast a record of 19 wins, five draws and one defeat from their 25 league matches this season to collect 62 points, which has left them top of the table, six points ahead of second-placed Girona and eight clear of third-placed Barcelona ahead of the next set of fixtures in Spain's top flight.
Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw with Rayo last weekend, but the match followed a 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the first leg of their last-16 contest in the Champions League.
Los Blancos have another two league matches against Sevilla and Valencia before welcoming Leipzig for the second leg of their European clash on March 6, and there is no question that the capital outfit are among the favourites to win yet another Champions League title this term.
Real Madrid have the second-best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 32 points from 12 matches, remaining unbeaten in the process, and they will be welcoming a Sevilla outfit that have picked up just 10 points from their 12 matches on their travels in 2023-24.
© Reuters
Sevilla, though, appear to have turned a corner, with a much-improved set of performances and indeed results boosting confidence in the camp.
Los Nervionenses have picked up eight points from their last four league matches against Osasuna, Rayo, Atletico Madrid and Valencia, which has moved them away from the relegation zone and up to 15th.
Quique Sanchez Flores's side still have work to do when it comes to ensuring that they remain in the division, but the gap to the bottom three is now seven points, which is a solid advantage at this stage of the campaign.
Sevilla finished 12th in Spain's top flight last season, which proved to be their worst final placing since being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 campaign.
Rojiblancos, who are currently four points behind 12th-placed Alaves, held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw at Estadio Ramon earlier this season, but Los Blancos won 3-1 in their clash at Bernabeu last term.
Team News
© Reuters
Real Madrid centre-back Antonio Rudiger has overcome a troublesome thigh problem and is set to make his return in the middle of the defence against Sevilla this weekend.
However, Joselu joined a lengthy absentee list on Friday, with the striker suffering an ankle injury, and he will miss out alongside Jude Bellingham, David Alaba, Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois.
Los Blancos will also have to work around the absences of Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga, with the pair both suspended.
Ferland Mendy is back from a suspension of his own and should start, while Brahim Diaz is expected to play behind the front two of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
As for Sevilla, Erik Lamela, Lucas Ocampos, Lucien Agoume and Marcao are out of the clash at Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Marcos Acuna, Tanguy Nianzou, Mariano Diaz, Nemanja Gudelj and Dodi Lukebakio remain fitness doubts for the contest with the league leaders.
Sergio Ramos is preparing to make his return to his former club as part of a back three, while Adria Pedrosa will likely come into the side on the left if Acuna is unable to prove his fitness.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Vazquez, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Brahim; Vinicius, Rodrygo
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Bade, Ramos, Salas; Navas, Sow, Soumare, Torres, Pedrosa; Romero, En-Nesyri
We say: Real Madrid 2-1 Sevilla
Sevilla's recent form has been strong, and Real Madrid will be missing a whole host of important players on Sunday night. We are expecting this to be a tight affair, but the home side's quality, especially in the forward areas, should allow them to secure an important three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
