Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane could hand a start to Rodrygo alongside Karim Benzema as Los Blancos look to clinch the LaLiga title with a win at home to Villarreal on tonight.
Zidane started with five midfielders in the 2-1 win at Granada on Monday and that plan worked well in the first half, but Madrid were holding on at the end and the Frenchman looks likely to tweak the system for this crunch clash.
Eden Hazard is another alternative for Zidane, but the Belgian is still working his way back to full fitness after a heavy knock against Espanyol last month and the former Chelsea attacker seems set to start on the bench.
“He's better, feeling good and he's back with us,” Zidane said on Wednesday.
“He's not feeling any of the discomfort he had a few days back and that's a good sign for us. The important thing is that he's 100% and we'll see how to deal with it.”
Left-back Ferland Mendy will keep his place after scoring against Granada, with Marcelo ruled out for the rest of LaLiga with an abductor problem.
In midfield, Luka Modric is likely to feature again following his excellent form since the competition restarted last month, with Isco dropping to the bench.
Striker Luka Jovic is back in the squad after he passed another test for Covid-19, having spent time with a friend who had contracted the virus earlier this month.
Nacho and Mariano also return in Zidane’s 24-man squad and will be on the bench for the game at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
Two draws from their final two matches would be enough for Real Madrid to win the title, but Zidane said on Wednesday: “We're here for one thing; to win.
“That's what motivates us and we prepare for that, nothing more.”
Real’s rivals Barcelona play at the same time on Thursday, at home to Osasuna, and need a win to keep their slim hopes of winning LaLiga alive, although even a victory will be futile if Madrid claim all three points against Villarreal.
Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Valverde; Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema
Villarreal predicted XI: Asenjo; Gaspar, Albion, Torres, Moreno; Chukwueze, Iborra, Anguissa, Cazorla; Moreno, Moi Gomez
