Three talking points as Real Madrid face Athletic Club in La Liga | OneFootball

Following another disappointing outing in the UEFA Champions League, which saw them being eliminated from the competition with a 5-1 loss to Arsenal on aggregate, Real Madrid return to action tonight in La Liga.

The Merengues will be facing Athletic Club, a side currently placed 4th in the league table. The Basque side is coming into this game following wins over Rayo Vallecano and Rangers, and will be a significant challenge for Los Blancos, who cannot afford to lose any more points in this league race.

This context makes the match quite an exciting affair, not only for the fans of the two teams but also for the followers of Spanish football in general. In particular, there will be three main questions on the minds of the Real Madrid fans as they await to see their team in action at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight:

Can Real Madrid get over their Champions League elimination?

This is the first time Carlo Ancelotti’s team will show its face at the Bernabeu following its demoralising loss to Arsenal. The Merengues were clearly outclassed by the English team in the UCL tie, and the fans would naturally not have been too pleased to see their team getting humiliated in their favourite competition.

But Los Blancos do not have too much time for mourning, and they will have to ensure they put their woes behind them to get a crucial win tonight. This win will not only keep them in the race for the La Liga title with only a few matches remaining in the current campaign, but will also help Ancelotti’s men get over their UCL failure and get back to form ahead of the Copa del Rey final next week.

How will Vinicius perform without Mbappe?

Real Madrid will have to achieve the difficult task of getting a win against Athletic Club without one of their most important players, i.e., Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman was suspended for this game because of the yellow card he got in the match against Alaves, and is also nursing a sprain that he suffered in the UCL match against Arsenal.

Without him on the pitch, Vinicius Junior will have to lead the Merengue forward line, and this will be a good opportunity for the Brazilian to show that he still has the skills to do so. Last season, he was the most important forward for Ancelotti’s side as it won the UCL and La Liga double, but this season, he has been far from his best as he continues to adjust to life with Mbappe.

Will Dani Ceballos prove to be the difference?

One positive piece of news from the difficult last few weeks for Carlo Ancelotti will be the return of the midfielder Dani Ceballos from a hamstring injury. Real Madrid have played their best football with the Spanish midfielder on the pitch, as he provides the much-needed balance in the midfield and helps his team with his two-way presence.

He got to play around 30 minutes in the second leg against Arsenal, and will be ready to start the game tonight. Hopefully, his presence will allow the team to get over its structural problems and end the season on a high note despite the UCL failure.