Real Madrid vs Málaga, La Liga 2016-17: Match Preview

Real were unable to escape the gauntlet of so many tough matches in a short period of time. Gone is the unbeaten streak, and the gap at the top of the table is suddenly a bit smaller than is comfortable. So it goes.

Málaga are coming to town, and they might be just what the doctor ordered.

They sacked their manager Juande Ramos near the turn of the new year, and promoted Marcelo Romero, who has previously only managed a Tercera division club.

Only three teams have leaked more goals on the road than the team from the south shore of Spain. Málaga have lost four matches on the run, and are winless in their last seven.

Basically, this is a game Madrid should win handily, even after a tough match midweek against Celta. In that game, Zidane sent out a rather strong lineup that was without a striker and featured Casemiro as an attacking midfielder. Something tells me Zidane will go back to basics for this match.

Under Zidane, Madrid have emerged from these slumps in emphatic fashion. After four straight draws in the fall, Real stomped Betis 1-6 on the road. After draws against Barça and Dortmund in the winter, they mounted a comeback to topple Depor. Málaga are weak through the center of the pitch, and I’d expect Madrid to go after them from the wings in. Even without Gareth Bale and a gassed Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid should have the firepower to dispatch Málaga at the Bernabéu.

Kickoff:

Saturday, 21st January 2017 at 10:15AM EST

Projected Lineups:

Real Madrid: Keylor Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Modrić, Casemiro; Lucas Vázquez, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo

Málaga: Kameni; Juankar, Villanueva, Muñoz, Rosales; Fornals, Camacho; Castro, Duda, Santos; Ramírez