Real Madrid vs. Espanyol Match Preview – Sept. 22, 2024

Actual Madrid will look to increase its La Liga unbeaten streak to 38 video games because the reigning Spanish champions tackle Espanyol on the Santiago Bernabéu.

Actual Madrid’s return to home motion comes simply 4 days after a late-game comeback towards Stuttgart in its Champions League opening fixture. Los Blancos collected all three factors in a 3–1victory because of objectives from Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger and Endrick.

Now, Actual Madrid should flip its consideration again to La Liga the place Ancelotti’s males already path Barcelona by 4 factors after 5 fixtures. Hansi Flick has the Catalans off to an ideal begin in his first season in cost whereas Actual Madrid stumbled in early matches towards Mallorca and Las Palmas.

The 36-time La Liga champions discovered victories in all their September matches up to now, although, regardless of an harm disaster that left Federico Valverde pressured to play in a double pivot alongside Luka Modric final weekend. The return of Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni towards Stuttgart gave Actual Madrid a much-needed increase forward of a busy schedule that includes six matches over the subsequent three weeks.

Earlier than Los Blancos can stay up for the Madrid derby or their subsequent Champions League match, they need to get previous Espanyol on Saturday. Manolo Gonzalez’s aspect produced a formidable scoreless draw with Atletico Madrid after which went on to defeat Rayo Vallecano and Alaves.

Though the hosts nonetheless enter the fixture because the heavy favorites, Actual Madrid has struggled to attain from open play towards a low block; 4 of Los Blancos’ 9 La Liga objectives this season have come from the spot. Plus, Ancelotti will possible rotate his beginning XI to offer lately returned gamers like Bellingham and Tchouaméni a relaxation to keep away from overload. The Frenchman, specifically, was reportedly nonetheless coping with discomfort in his foot through the mid-week UCL fixture.

Luka Modrić and Arda Güler may get the nod as Ancelotti works to maintain his squad match and contemporary only one week out from Actual Madrid’s conflict with Atletico Madrid.

Actual Madrid’s predicted lineup vs Espanyol: Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde,
Modrić, Güler; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius

If Ancelotti actually desires to rotate his XI, then Endrick, Fran García and Lucas Vázquez may additionally log vital minutes towards Espanyol.

Actual Madrid vs Espanyol kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. ET.