Actual Madrid’s remaining recreation of 2025 is again on the Santiago Bernabeu, their wonderful house the place they haven’t gained a recreation because the starting of November.
Actual Madrid’s lengthy spell away from house introduced in a few of the workforce’s most unfavourable outcomes – piling the strain on and the dressing room.
Commercial
They then returned to the Bernabeu for 2 video games – in opposition to Manchester Metropolis and Celta Vigo – and by some means misplaced each video games earlier than heading away as soon as extra for 2 fixtures.
With two wins in opposition to Alaves and Talavera now within the bag, the lads in white will look to present followers at house some pleasure with the workforce’s first win on the venue since they beat Valencia 4-0 early in November.
It won’t be straightforward as Sevilla have been identified to pop up a couple of surprises. They sit ninth on the desk and have six wins in 16 video games up to now this season with 24 objectives scored.
Madrid Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Actual Madrid vs Sevilla.
Commercial
The year-end fixture
The yr 2025 won’t go down remotely near one of the best years in Actual Madrid historical past as neither the top of the 2024-25 season nor the start of the following one has been notably memorable.
An important take a look at awaits for Actual Madrid. (Picture by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Photos)
Los Blancos misplaced out on La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey final season along with the Spanish Tremendous Cup in January.
The FIFA Membership World Cup solely introduced one other failure to the workforce’s catalogue.
The brand new season received off to a strong begin beneath the brand new supervisor, however a rocky spell in current months has left a bitter aftertaste on that entrance too.
Commercial
The one silver lining, nonetheless, is that the workforce have gained their final two video games throughout all competitions.
Tonight’s conflict in opposition to Sevilla represents the workforce’s remaining recreation of 2025 as they may disperse for the winter break instantly after the sport. The aim, for sure, will likely be to finish the yr on a excessive.
A 3rd straight win, thus, is all Xabi Alonso’s males will likely be hoping for come Saturday evening as they appear to bid adieu to a forgettable yr and set the stage for 2026 to start in grand trend.
Captain stays a doubt
Xabi Alonso has been struggling along with his squad’s accidents and resultant choice dilemmas for a very long time now, however that scenario has considerably improved in current days as a number of sidelined stars have returned to the combination.
Federico Valverde is a doubt for this match. (Picture by Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Photos)
Commercial
One division the place Los Blancos are nonetheless missing a pure possibility, nonetheless, is at right-back the place each Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal stay injured.
Federico Valverde, on that entrance, has largely served as Alonso’s backup within the division in excessive conditions and has finished properly when requested to fill within the defensive position.
He has even began at right-back within the workforce’s current video games barring the conflict in opposition to Talavera.
Now, nonetheless, Alonso finds himself in a repair as even .
The Uruguayan worldwide didn’t prepare with the group forward of the conflict and is claimed to be coping with a knock he picked up.
Commercial
In reality, he has been enjoying by way of ache for a very long time now and Alonso would like to not danger him.
It thus stays to be seen what plan the supervisor has in place for the evening.
Will he change to a three-man defence or proceed to depend on younger David Jimenez who made his debut within the cup?
Or possibly he has a 3rd sudden choice to deploy on the evening? Solely time will inform.
Rodrygo’s case to start out
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr have been Actual Madrid’s solely two undisputable starters this season.
Whereas the previous earned it by way of his performances, the hope with the latter is that he can return to his regular goalscoring and threatening self within the remaining third.
Rodrygo has made a powerful case for himself. (Picture by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Photos)
Commercial
One participant who has struggled since Alonso’s arrival, conversely, is Rodrygo Goes because the supervisor didn’t appear to depend on him in any capability for a very long time.
After a protracted and affected person wait, he received his probability to shine when he began in opposition to Manchester Metropolis within the UEFA Champions League and he completed as one of many workforce’s greatest gamers on the evening.
He bagged the workforce’s solely aim in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s aspect, was a relentless menace down the fitting flank and earned reward from the opposition supervisor.
His constructive present earned him a begin within the workforce’s subsequent recreation in opposition to Deportivo Alaves and he as soon as once more completed as one of many workforce’s MVPs as he scored the winner to assist the workforce to a win.
Commercial
A slight niggle compelled his evening brief and was presumably the rationale he didn’t begin in opposition to Talavera. Come tonight, nonetheless, there’s little to little question that Rodrygo ought to begin for Actual Madrid as soon as extra.
The Brazilian’s involvement on the sector supplies Los Blancos with not solely attacking aptitude however higher defensive stability, and Alonso ought to look to maintain him as a daily in his plans if Rodrygo can preserve the identical kind going.