Real Madrid will aim to post a fifth straight win in all competitions when they resume their La Liga campaign with a trip to Sevilla on Saturday evening.
Los Blancos are currently top of the table, picking up 24 points from their opening nine matches, while Sevilla sit down in 14th position, collecting only eight points from as many games in 2023-24.
Match preview
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Sevilla will have a new face in the dug-out this weekend, with Diego Alonso being confirmed as the team's new head coach on a contract until the end of the campaign.
The 48-year-old has replaced Jose Luis Mendilibar, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month despite leading the team to Europa League success last season.
Sevilla have made an underwhelming start to the 2023-24 La Liga campaign, only picking up eight points from eight matches, which has left them down in 14th position, but they are unbeaten in their Champions League section thus far, drawing their first two games with Lens and PSV Eindhoven.
The Europa League holders played out a 2-2 draw with Rayo Vallecano in the league before the international break, with Youssef En-Nesyri netting a leveller in the 96th minute of the clash at Estadio Ramon.
Sevilla, who finished down in 12th position in La Liga last term, now have two huge back-to-back matches at home against Real Madrid and Arsenal in the league and Champions League respectively.
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Real Madrid, according to the league table at least, have been the best side in La Liga so far this season, winning eight and losing one of their nine matches to collect 24 points, which has left them at the top of the division, two points clear of second-placed Girona and three clear of Barcelona in third.
Carlo Ancelotti's side suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss to Atletico Madrid on September 24, but their response to that setback has been excellent, posting four straight wins, three of which have been in La Liga.
Los Blancos have scored nine times and conceded zero in their last three league matches with Las Palmas, Girona and Osasuna, while they also won 3-2 against Napoli in the Champions League at the start of the month, which moved them onto six points in Group C.
Jude Bellingham has been comfortably the team's outstanding performer this season, scoring 10 goals and registering three assists in 10 appearances in all competitions, and he will be bidding to add to his eight goals and two assists that he has already managed in La Liga this season.
Real Madrid will head to Portugal in the Champions League next week to face Braga before the small matter of a trip to Barcelona on October 28 for El Clasico.
Los Blancos will not be looking past Sevilla for the moment, though, as they bid to record a fifth straight La Liga victory over Los Nervionenses.
Team News
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Sevilla will again be without the services of Marko Dmitrovic, Mariano Diaz, Erik Lamela and Alfonso Pastor for the contest with the league leaders this weekend due to fitness issues.
Defensive duo Marcao and Tanguy Nianzou are now both back from injury, although it is unlikely that either will be considered for a start on Saturday night.
Sevilla will need to check on the fitness of Fernando, who was withdrawn in the first half against Rayo before the international break, so Ivan Rakitic could come into the midfield here.
Lucas Ocampos, Sergio Ramos and Jesus Navas are also in line for recalls, but there should be another start at centre-forward for En-Nesyri, who has scored five times in 10 appearances this season.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are expecting to have David Alaba back from a groin problem, with the centre-back returning to training over the international break.
Alaba should return to the back four, while Arda Guler has also made excellent progress in his recovery from a thigh issue, although this match has come too soon for him.
Nacho remains suspended for Los Blancos, while Dani Ceballos (muscle), Eder Militao (knee) and Thibaut Courtois (knee) are on the sidelines for the division leaders.
Joselu is set to keep his spot alongside Vinicius Junior in the final third of the field, while Eduardo Camavinga might be moved back into a defensive position, with Toni Kroos featuring alongside Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in the middle of midfield.
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Navas, Bade, Ramos, Pedrosa; Rakitic, Sow; Ocampos, Suso, Lukebakio; En-Nesyri
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Camavinga; Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos; Bellingham; Joselu, Vinicius
We say: Sevilla 1-2 Real Madrid
Sevilla's last league win over Real Madrid came in September 2018, losing eight of the last nine top-flight meetings between the two sides. It is very difficult to back anything other than an away success in this match, although we are expecting it to be close in terms of the scoreline.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
