To be or not to be for Real Madrid in Pamplona - again without Benzema and the midfield pillars

Real Madrid are the champion of Europe and Spain. However, the throne is slipping away in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti's team has eight points less than Barca who are escaping, so the defender of the crown has no margin of error. Tonight (23.00) the Madridians visit Osasuna in Pamplona.

As soon as he returned to the field, Karim Benzema got injured again. The Frenchman is unlucky this season, he is more in the stands, now with a muscle injury, so that is also the reason for the stumble of the champion of Spain in this Primera campaign. The pillars in the middle of the field Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni are also out of action. Croatian ace Luka Modrić will have a difficult task in the midfield to fill the gaps without two important teammates. Eduardo Camavinga returns to the midfield, while Dani Ceballos will also get a place in the centre trio. Left-back Mendy is also out of action for Real.

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Instead of Benzema, the young Brazilian Rodrygo will play, who will form a trio up front with compatriot Vinicius and Uruguayan Federico Valverde.

The Bulls of Osasuna are safe in the middle of the table and should not worry about survival. At their stadium, they won six matches, and were defeated four times, without a draw. The team from Pamplona is in a slump, without a triumph for four rounds (three draws and a loss).

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Los Blancos started the season with six away wins, and in the last five away from their Santiago Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti's team lost three times, against Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal and two weeks ago against Mallorca. Anfield and the Champions League round of 16 match against Liverpool on Tuesday are also on Real's mind. Benzema and Kroos could return to the team for that duel.

LA LIGA

Friday

Girona - Almeria 6-2 (4-0)

/Castellanos 8, Tsygankov 34, Riquelme 36, Hernandez 43 - Ramazani 66, Toure 81/

Saturday

Sociedad - Celta 1-0 (1-0) IN PROGRESS

/Oyarzabal 4/

18.15: (1.70) Betis (3.80) Valladolid (5.70)

20.30: (3.30) Mallorca (3.00) Villareal (2.55)

23.00: (4.60) Osasuna (3.50) Real Madrid (1.82)

Sunday

16.00: (2.85) Elche (3.00) Espanyol (2.70)

18.15: (2.55) Rayo Vallecano (3.05) Sevilla (3.00)

20.30: (2.10) Atl.Madrid (3.25) Ath.Bilbao (4.10)

23.00: (1.20) Barcelona (6.75) Cadiz (14.0)

Monday

23.00: (2.75) Getafe (2.85) Valencia (2.95)

***odds are subject to change