Madrid: Real Madrid will have to cope without Cristiano Ronaldo if they are to set a club record by extending their unbeaten run to 35 games when Deportivo la Coruna visit today.
The rested Ronaldo was left out of coach Zinedine Zidane’s squad along with Luka Modric and Karim Benzema with one eye on the Club World Cup in Japan next week.
However, the Portuguese star has also had to refute claims this week concerning his tax affairs that have dominated the headlines. An international consortium of media organisations claimed last Friday that Ronaldo hid 150 million euros ($160m) earned from image rights in the British Virgin Islands.
Ronaldo, 31, denies wrongdoing and said after Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund that “he who owes nothing isn’t afraid”.
Zidane has taken a risk by also leaving out key midfielder Modric and Benzema. Gareth Bale also remains out injured, but Toni Kroos and Alvaro Morata are set for their first starts in a month after returning from injury against Dortmund in midweek.
Deportivo’s last visit to the Santiago Bernabeu was Zidane’s first match in charge back in January and ended in a 5-0 thrashing in favour of the hosts.
However, Deportivo have been buoyed by a surprise 5-1 romp over high-flying Real Sociedad on Monday to register a first league win since early October and move out of the relegation zone.
Barcelona can cut the gap to three points before Madrid kick off with victory at rock-bottom Osasuna earlier today.
After the blow of conceding a last-minute equaliser to Madrid in last weekend’s El Clasico, Barca got back to winning ways with a 4-0 hammering of Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Crucially, the returning Andres Iniesta has starred in his first two appearances after a six-week injury layoff.
With their captain restored, the Catalans looked like the Barca of old by registering a competition-record 993 passes against the Germans in midweek.
Neymar is suspended so Arda Turan is expected to deputise alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in attack after netting a hat-trick against Moenchengladbach.
Sevilla were the one Spanish side not assured of their place in the Champions League last 16 before this week, but ground out a 0-0 draw at Lyon to progress.
However, struggles on the road have been a common theme for Jorge Sampaoli’s men as despite lying third in La Liga, seven points adrift of Real, they have won just four of their 12 away games this season.
The Europa League holders will be keen to make amends for a shock 2-1 defeat at Granada last weekend and maintain a two-point lead over Atletico Madrid when they travel to Celta Vigo tomorrow.