Real Madrid take on Espanyol at the RCDE stadium with a view to finish their miserable campaign strongly as their chances of winning La Liga looks to be a long shot from here.
Real Madrid has managed to win only one of their last six games across all competitions, as their miserable season shows no sign of stopping.
Los Blancos are now looking at yet another campaign without winning any major trophy as they are currently 14 points adrift of league leaders Barcelona, having played one game less, as the Blaugranas edged past Osasuna last night.
Madrid now gears up for two back-to-back matches in Catalunya as they take on Espanyol tonight before preparing for a visit to the Camp Nou next Sunday.
As for tonight's game, Los Blancos will be without several key players, including Dani Carvajal, Kylian Mbappe, Arda Guler, Eder Militao, and Thibaut Courtois, as well as Rodrygo, due to injuries.
The long list of injuries has been salt to their wounds following the draw against Real Betis last weekend, which further dampened their hopes of catching up with Barca.
As a result, manager Alvaro Arbeloa will need to assess his options in the final few games of the season, with Espanyol being the Merengues' first test without the likes of Mbappe and Guler, their top scorer and assist provider, respectively.
Predicted Lineup:
Goalkeeper: Since Courtois' injury during Los Blancos second leg encounter against Manchester City back in March, Andriy Lunin has been guarding the Real Madrid goal for their last seven and a half games and is also expected to start tonight despite the Belgian nearing his return.
Right Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold would be poised to showcase his qualities during the final few games left to play this season, with an eye on the upcoming World Cup during the summer.
Center-backs: The duo of Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rudiger is expected to feature in Arbeloa's starting 11 for tonight, with Militao out for the remainder of the season.
Left-back: Struggling Alvaro Carreras is expected to start ahead of Ferland Mendy.
Midfield: Federico Valverde, Thiago Pitarch, and Jude Bellingham are predicted to feature in the starting line-up, with Guler out for the remainder of the season.
Attack: Vinicius Junior and Brahim Diaz are expected to start alongside the prolific young striker Gonzalo Garcia, who could be transferred out at the end of this season in order to make room for Endrick, who has been sensational this season at Lyon, and with Mbappe out injured, these final few games could prove to be pivotal if he dreams of a career at the Bernabeu in the future.
Join The Conversation
Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers.
Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favorite teams and news!