Real Madrid begins the ‘marathon’ of matches seeking full success
Ancelotti’s men defend their leadership against the also undefeated Real Sociedad
MADRID, 16 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid will try to extend this Sunday against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu (9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga) its immaculate trajectory at the start of the season to establish itself as leader of LaLiga EA Sports, all against a rival that goes undefeated to the Spanish capital before the ‘marathon’ of matches that both will face in the coming weeks.
Before starting next Wednesday against Unión Berlin their journey in their fetish competition, the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti’s team hopes to expand its performance in the domestic competition, where it has proven intractable and knows no other result than victory. In total, seven matches await him in the next 23 days.
Athletic Club (0-2), Almería (1-3), RC Celta (0-1) and Getafe (2-1), the latter in its first match of the season at the Bernabéu, have been the victims of the white team, who has only conceded two goals and scored eight, five of them with the signature of the Englishman Jude Bellingham, who has emerged as the offensive reference for the Madridistas.
In this way, the team now accumulates 12 points, two more than its immediate pursuers, Girona and FC Barcelona, and wants more. Opposite, one of the last rivals who have managed to get him to kneel in LaLiga, in one of the last days of last year (2-0, with a goal from former Real Madrid player Take Kubo).
Once again, the Italian coach will have to deal with a squad full of injuries, in which only midfielder Dani Ceballos recovers. Ferland Mendy could return for the ‘Champions’ duel, while Vinícius will be ready “before the six weeks that have been said.”
In addition to the losses of the Frenchman and the Brazilian, the leader also has those of the Belgian Thibaut Courtois and the Brazilian Éder Militao, both long-term; and with that of the Turkish Arda Güler, who has already returned to training after undergoing meniscus surgery.
With Kepa between the sticks and Dani Carvajal and Fran García on the sides, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba will form in the center of the defense this Sunday. The German Toni Kroos, rested, will integrate the midfield along with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga, and Joselu and Rodrygo will accompany Bellingham in attacking duties.
For its part, Real Sociedad will try to maintain its undefeated record in a difficult place like the Bernabéu to try to get closer to European positions. With six units, Imanol Alguacil’s men are just one away from sixth place, despite not having given in so far in the championship and weighed down by the three draws in the first rounds.
The San Sebastian team shared points with Girona (1-1), Celta (1-1) and Las Palmas (0-0) and said goodbye until after the break with a victory against Granada (5-3). Now, they will look for their first victory away from home in a stadium where they last won in 2020, in the Copa del Rey.
The injured Martín Merquelanz and André Silva will be absent from the ‘txuri urdin’ team, which remains pending on the status of the injured Aritz Elustondo. Alguacil could make changes to the eleven in view of his debut in the Champions League, on Wednesday against Inter Milan at the Reale Arena.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
REAL MADRID: Cape Town; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Praise, Fran Garcia; Chouamen, Kroos, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo and Joselu.
REAL SOCIEDAD: Remiro; Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Tierney; Merino, Zubimendi, Méndez; Kubo, Oyarzabal and Barrenetxea.
–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano).
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga.