Eibar poses real test for Benitez's Madrid

Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez faces a selection problem as his side prepare to face Eibar in the Basque side's tiny Ipurua Stadium.

   The clash between the sides with the biggest and smallest budget in the league was always going to be a fascinating affair, but it has taken on even greater significance following Real Madrid's 4-0 thrashing at home to Barcelona last week and their defeat to Sevilla two weks earlier.

   Those defeats have put coach Rafael Benitez and club President Florentino Perez in the spotlight and although Perez gave his backing to Benitez last Monday, a third league defeat in Eibar would do untold damage to Benitez's credibility.

   Real Madrid regained some confidence with a 4-3 win away to Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, but even there fans were dismayed to see how Real Madrid gave their rivals a lifeline by conceding three late goals.

   Benitez lost central defender Rafael Varane to a hamstring injury on Wednesday and he joins Marcelo and Sergio Ramos on the injury list. That means Nacho Fernandez will have to play in central defense and either Danilo or Dani Carvajal will play out of position on the left.

   Isco is also out after being suspended for his lunge at Neynar last week, although Benitez has to decide whether he goes for the attacking formation of James Rodriguez, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, which flopped against Barca or play hard-tacking Casimiro in central midfield.

   If he plays Casimiro, as seems likely, the next decision will be which of his forwards to leave out, with James and Benzema the main candidates.

   Eibar are enjoying a fine season and despite their budget the Basques are currently sixth in the table with just two defeats all season. The fact those defeats came against top side, Barca and second placed Atletico Madrid show the size of the task awaiting Madrid for a game in which anything other than a win will be viewed as a catastrophe.  Endi