Crisis-ridden Real Madrid head to Sevilla on Saturday having failed to win any of their previous three La Liga matches. The defending champions suffered losses to Valencia and Deportivo Alaves on either side of a draw with Villarreal. Then there was Shakhtar Donetsk debacle in the UEFA Champions League. (More Football News)
So, the focus is on Zinedine Zidane. But the Frenchman is convinced that he retains the full support of the club and his players, and promise to fight for the club until the last day of the season.
Check confirmed starting XIs here:
Los Blancos have never endured a winless run of four league games under Zidane, and the champions are already seven points adrift of pacesetters Real Sociedad – though arguably the greater concern is second-place Atletico Madrid, who play Valladolid after Real's match in Seville.
And the Madrid derby is next weekend.
"Yes, completely, I feel the support of the club. I can't be happy when we lose a game, but we know where we are," Zidane said when asked if he had the club's backing. "We are lucky to fight for this club and that's what I'm going to do until the last day, and the players too. We have to be together with what we know how to do."
But Madrid will be without their mercurial captain Sergio Ramos. The defender has returned to training following the hamstring injury he sustained while on international duty with Spain in November. Zidane, however, had said that prior to the squad announcement on Friday that the 34-year-old would only make the trip if he was fully fit.
It's worth noting that without Ramos, Madrid have drawn 1-1 with Villareal and lost 1-2 to Deportivo Alaves, and against Shakhtar 0-2.
Traditionally, Madrid do well against Sevilla – winning 19 times in their previous 30 La Liga meetings, while Zidane has not claimed more wins against any other opponent across all competitions than he has over the Andalusians (seven).
But Europa League holders Sevilla – coached by former Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui – are likely to be fresh having rested many first-team regulars during the 4-0 Champions League defeat to Chelsea.
They are also unbeaten in 15 league games at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, keeping seven clean sheets in their past 10 home games, and will move above Madrid with a win.
But Lopetegui remains wary of Madrid, suggesting their difficult form might make them even more threatening this weekend.
"Real Madrid are always dangerous, and even more so in these situations," he said. "They're a team that have answers for many situations and now that feeds into them to give a good performance. I'm expecting a strong Real Madrid, who will demand the best version of us."
Madrid sit fourth in La Liga on 17 points - seven behind leaders Real Sociedad and six behind second-placed Atletico Madrid, who they face in the derby next weekend.
Match and telecast details:
Match: La Liga round 12 match between Sevilla and Real Madrid
Date: December 5 (Saturday), 2020
Time: 8:45 PM IST/4:15 PM CET
Venue: Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain.
TV Listing: La Liga matches will not be broadcast on any TV channel in India.
Live Streaming: Facebook Live, Bet365 (Registration required) - International
Elsewhere...
Argetina: DIRECTV Play Deportes, DIRECTV Sports Argentina
Australia: beIN Sports 1, beIN Sports Connect, Kayo Sports
Belgium: Eleven Sports 1 Belgium
Brazil: Watch ESPN Brasil, ESPN Brasil
France: Free, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN Sports 1
Germany: Blue Sport, DAZN
Indonesia: beIN Sports Connect Indonesia, beIN Sports 1 Indonesia
Iran: beIN Sports HD 3, beIN Sports HD 1, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Japan: WOWOW, DAZN
Portugal: Eleven Sports 1 Portugal
South Korea: SPOTV ON
Qatar: beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN Sports HD 1, beIN Sports HD 3
Russia: matchtv.ru, Sportbox.ru, Telesport, Match! Football 1
Spain: Movistar Laliga 1, Partidazo in Movistar LaLiga, Mitele Plus, Movistar+, Movistar Laliga
Thailand: beIN Sports 1 Thailand, beIN Sports Connect
UAE: beIN Sports HD 1, beIN Sports HD 3, beIN SPORTS CONNECT
UK: LaLigaTV, Premier Player HD
USA: beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz USA, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, beIN SPORTS
Uruguay: DIRECTV Sports Uruguay, DIRECTV Play Deportes
Likely XIs:
Sevilla: Vaclik; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Rekik; Jordan, Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, De Jong, El Haddadi.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Vazquez, Varane, Nacho, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Vinicius, Benzema, Asensio.
Head-to-head: Real Madrid lead the record 3-2 over Sevilla, including a league double last season, in the last five meetings. In 50 matches so far, Madrid have won 31 times to Sevilla's 16.
