The Madrid derby last Thursday and Atlético's harsh complaints regarding arbitration mark the preview of Real Madrid's return tonight (9:00 p.m.) to Santiago Bernabeu in the League against a Real Sociedad that has just been eliminated from the Cup by Barcelona but that links five victories in the League and that if they win they would equalize on points with Real Madrid in second place in the table.
For the match, Madrid only recovers Hazard, a testimonial all season, but has lost Ferland Mendy (out for a month) and continues without being able to count on Alaba, Tchouaméni, Lucas Vázquez or Carvajal. The four aim to be available for the postponed match against Valencia next Thursday.
To rebuild the defense Ancelotti has two options: the first is to give Odriozola the right side and Nacho the left, the true wild card of the team. Odriozola has only played one starting game this season and he was injured in it. The second alternative is to keep Nacho on the right wing and give Camavinga the left. The axis of the rear seems safe for Militao and Rüdiger.
The other question for Ancelotti is whether Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio will return to the starting eleven, in which Modric and Kroos could rest again, especially the Croatian, whom the Italian coach wants to dose a lot this season. Up front Vinícius and Benzema are safe. The Frenchman seems fully recovered and has scored seven goals in his last seven games. Madrid have not lost at home in the League since the 0-4 that Barcelona endorsed them in March last year, the previous season.
Real Sociedad go to Madrid with many casualties: nine, two of great importance, those of Mikel Merino and David Silva. The Bernabeu is not usually a favorable setting for the people from San Sebastián, who in their last 26 visits have only won three times and scratched two draws. However, on their last cup visit to the Bernabeu, in January 2020, with Alguacil on the bench, they eliminated the whites (3-4) from a competition that would end up taking the title.
The absences do not leave much room for maneuver for Imanol Alguacil, who will not be able to count on either of his two right-backs, as well as one of his central defenders, which will make Aritz play in the right lane again, with Zubeldia and Le Normand repeating for the umpteenth time as a central pair. Diego Rico, who suffered a cut at the height of the tibia in the game against Barça, is available for the left lane, although Aihen Muñoz, who made his debut precisely in this stadium, has more ballots to start.
The question is whether Alguacil continues to opt for four diamond-shaped midfielders, as usual, or if, on the contrary, he decides on three to form an offensive trident. In any case, Zubimendi, Illarramendi and Brais are immovable in that area. If he opts for a fourth midfielder, he could repeat the academy player Pablo Marín at the tip of the diamond, or leave Take Kubo, who already played at the Camp Nou in that position, with Oyarzabal, Carlos Fernández and Sorloth opting for both places in the stroke.
The Bernabeu will have a good entrance in a stadium still reduced in capacity due to some works that will last until the summer.
