?Real Madrid must travel to Girona on Sunday, and the decision has already been taken not to get there using their team bus, as a result of the ongoing tensions in Catalonia.
Once there, Los Blancos will need to put in a convincing performance and take all three points if they are to keep pace with Barcelona and Valencia at the top.
Here’s an XI Zinedine Zidane could field…
Goalkeeper
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Navas1
?Keylor Navas is likely to return between the sticks after a brief spell on the sidelines with injury.
Defence
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Nacho6
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S. Ramos4
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Varane5
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Marcelo12
?Nacho Fernandez could keep his place as a make-shift right-back, despite the emergence of 17-year-old Achraf Hakimi who only made his debut a few weeks ago.
Sergio Ramos is an ever-present and has struck up a solid partnership with Raphael Varane at centre-half. Flying full-back Marcelo seems to be back to full fitness now following a hamstring tear and will likely take over from deputy Theo Hernandez.
Midfield
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Modric10
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Casemiro14
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Kroos8
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Isco22
?Real Madrid’s midfield trio of Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos are the best in the world, and Zidane will jump at the chance to get them all back playing together.
Spaniard Isco could get the nod over Marco Asensio, who was involved midweek in the Copa del Rey – the silky star would likely take up a position in behind the front two, a position in which he has become so dangerous.
Forwards
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Benzema9
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Ronaldo7
?Zidane thinks Karim Benzema is ‘the best’, so he surely has to play, right? The Frenchman was left on the bench against Eibar, but could his defiant response to Gary Lineker’s ‘overrated’ comments force his hand a little?
Cristiano Ronaldo will partner Benzema up top, and look to reap the rewards of the 29-year-old’s industrious and creative work.
Let’