Ben Hayward

Real Madrid Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Real Sociedad

Everything you need to know as Los Blancos take on the Basque outfit at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend...

Real Madrid will look to return to winning ways in La Liga on Saturday after a disappointing draw at Levante in their last league game.

Zinedine Zidane's side were held to a 2-2 draw at the Ciutat de Valencia last weekend and missed the chance to move into third place in the table.

Los Blancos remain 19 points behind leaders Barcelona, while they are only two ahead of fifth-placed Villarreal, albeit with a game in hand.

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A win on Saturday will see Real move into fourth if Valencia fail to claim victory in that city's derby at home to Levante on Sunday.

REAL MADRID INJURIES

Zidane will have almost all of his players available for Saturday's game. Defender Jesus Vallejo is still sidelined with a muscle problem and midfielder Dani Ceballos is doubtful, but the French coach has an otherwise full-strength squad at his disposal.

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REAL MADRID SUSPENSIONS

Zidane has no players suspended for the meeting with Real Sociedad.

REAL MADRID POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP

Zidane is likely to pick an unchanged side for the game on Saturday, despite some disappointing displays from his forward players against Levante last weekend.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema have now started the last two matches together, having previously not done so for 279 days.

All three will be expected to feature from the outset again, with Isco likely to be on the bench once more.

Some reports in Spain have claimed Isco wants to leave, but Zidane said: "What has been said is not true. I love Isco and I want him to stay here forever."

REAL SOCIEDAD TEAM NEWS

Real Sociedad came sixth last season, but the Basques are enduring more difficulties this time around and are currently down in 14th place after 22 rounds of matches.

Eusebio's side have won just seven games in La Liga this season, three of those on the road, but will be buoyed by last weekend's 5-0 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Striker Willian Jose had hoped to be fit for Saturday's game, but the Brazilian misses out through injury along with attacking midfielder Adnan Januzaj and defender Carlos Martinez.

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TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME

Real Madrid versus Real Sociedad kicks off at 20:45 local time on Saturday, with viewers in the United Kingdom (UK) able to watch live on Sky Sports Football from 19:40 GMT.

In the United States (US), the match is live on BeIN Sports and kicks off at 14:45 ET.

BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS

Real Madrid have only lost one of their last 21 La Liga games against Real Sociedad (winning 17 of those). Their sole defeat was a 4-2 loss at Anoeta in August 2014.
At home, Los Blancos are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Real Sociedad in La Liga (winning nine of those). Their last defeat against the Basques at the Bernabeu was a 4-1 loss in May 2004.
Xabi Prieto scored his first-ever league goals with a double in that game and he has netted more against Real Madrid (nine) than against any other side in the Primera Division.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in each of his six league games against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu (12 goals in total). Only against Sevilla and Getafe (13 apiece) has he scored more home goals in La Liga.
Gareth Bale has been directly involved in nine goals in his eight La Liga games against Real Sociedad (six goals and three assists).