Off the wire
• Syria warplane crashes in southeast Damascus: activists  • Russia to create "airspace forces" to maintain "military superiority"  • 1st Ld-Writethru: China stocks extend losses  • HK records fiscal reserves reach 781 bln HKD in December 2014  • Roundup: Nikkei gains 0.39 pct on Wall Street's lead, solid domestic earnings  • Result of Iraq vs the United Arab Emirates in AFC Asian Cup 3rd/4th match  • Singapore police seizes fake phones, accessories in raids  • Singapore's bank lending in December falls  • Sri Lanka keen to cooperate with UN investigation  • Newborn dies after being dragged for meters in Chinese hospital  
You are here: 　 Home

No Ronaldo but Real Madrid aim to keep winning and improve form

Xinhua, January 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

There will be no Cristiano Ronaldo on hand as Real Madrid entertain Real Sociedad in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Portuguese international serves the first of a two game ban which was handed to him on Wednesday in the wake of his sending off against Cordoba last Saturday.

Meanwhile central defender Pepe is also sidelined as he looks to recover from the wrist injury he picked up in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey a fortnight ago.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is managing several options to cover for the absentees and while Rafael Varene is almost certain to cover in central defense, it's not yet certain whether Ancelotti will opt to start with Jese Rodriguez as a straight swap for Ronaldo in attack or whether to include Asier Illaramendi in his starting 11.

Should he include illaramendi, it would mean the Basque midfielder playing against his former club, against whom, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid last season.

It would also be a vote of confidence in the midfielder, whose future at Real Madrid looked to be limited by the arrival of Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva a week ago. That had prompted Athletic Club Bilbao to make an offer to sign him, but should Illaramendi play on Saturday that move would appear to be dead in the water, at least until the end of the season.

Real Sociedad travel to Madrid boosted by last weekend's narrow win at home to Eibar, but in the knowledge they are the only side that has not won away from home this season.

That poor away form has to some extent been balanced by the fact that the side from San Sebastian has managed to defeat the 'big three' of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in their Anoeta Stadium this campaign, with their win against Real Madrid perhaps their most impressive display of the season as they came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 in August.

At that stage Real Madrid were well below their best and Ancelotti's men have still to fire on all cylinders in 2015, despite league wins over Cordoba, Getafe and Espanyol. Real Sociedad will hope that continues on Saturday night as they look to cause another shock. Endi