Real Madrid, under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, are currently experiencing a heightened sense of morale following their exhilarating 1-2 victory against Barcelona in the recent weekend. The team has currently extended their advantage over their competitors to a margin of four points as they approach the 12th round of matches in the league campaign.

Both teams are confronted with a challenging situation as Barcelona is set to compete against the formidable Real Sociedad today, while Real Madrid will host Rayo Vallecano tomorrow.

Vallecano, led by Francisco Rodriguez, presently occupies the eighth position in the standings, having suffered defeat in merely two out of their initial eleven matches in the ongoing season. These entities, far from being insignificant, are not to be underestimated and will pose a significant challenge for Real Madrid.

Indeed, an analysis of the previous five encounters between these two teams indicates that Vallecano has demonstrated a commendable ability to compete on par with Madrid, although emerging victorious in only one of those instances.

In the previous five encounters, they have successfully scored a total of five goals, while simultaneously limiting their opponents to a maximum of eight goals conceded.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid team has been afforded a full week of rest, allowing him to approach the selection of his starting lineup for this match with a measured level of confidence.

In the realm of defensive tactics, Fran Garcia was appointed as a substitute for Ferland Mendy.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has performed commendably in assuming the role of a substitute for the incapacitated Thibaut Courtois, who has been absent for the entirety of the current season as a result of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Currently, there is no competition for the Spaniard, who will assume the role of goalkeeper.

There has been significant scrutiny regarding David Alaba’s performance, nevertheless, it is anticipated that he will maintain his position as one of the central defenders, with Antonio Rudiger joining him in the starting lineup.

Ferland Mendy was granted the opportunity to commence the match against Barcelona as the left-back, however, the French player failed to capitalize on this privilege and was subsequently replaced during the second half due to injury.

In the absence of the aforementioned individual, it is anticipated that Fran Garcia will assume the role of left-back for Madrid Universal, while Daniel Carvajal will persist in his position as the right-back.

In the midfield position, Camavinga is substituted for Tchouameni.

Given the absence of Aurelien Tchouameni for an extended period of around three months, it is anticipated that Eduardo Camavinga will be selected as the primary candidate for the position of number six in the team. Toni Kroos is a potential candidate for commencing in such a position, however, it seems probable that he will commence as an inside.

The position of Federico Valverde is currently at minimal risk of being displaced. The player from Uruguay has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance for Madrid during the current season. Furthermore, he has been gradually expanding his repertoire of skills, positioning himself as one of the most versatile midfielders in the league. He is expected to commence his position on the right side of the midfield.

Jude Bellingham, the recipient of the prestigious Kopa Award and a highly anticipated contender for the next Golden Boy accolade, is poised to complete the midfield quartet in question. Currently, he holds the esteemed position of being the frontrunner for the Pichichi Award, which comes as no surprise. Tomorrow, he will undoubtedly endeavor to augment his existing count.

Initiation: Joselu commences

Extensive documentation exists regarding the positive impact of Joselu’s inclusion in the team on Bellingham’s performance. It is important to note that the substitution made by the Spaniard in the second half notably enhanced the offensive equilibrium of Madrid.

It is anticipated that Joselu will be selected over Rodrygo to form a two-man attacking partnership, while Vinicius Jr will maintain his position following a subpar performance against Barcelona.

The act of replacing one thing with another is commonly referred to as substitutions.

Madrid has received significant news with the long-awaited return of Arda Guler from injury, as he has been included on the squad list for the upcoming encounter. It is highly probable that the Turkish player of international standing will commence his inaugural appearance throughout the subsequent period of play, specifically in the latter half of the match.

In the meantime, it is highly probable that Ancelotti will place considerable reliance on Rodrygo, assuming he is not already included in the starting lineup. In this configuration, one of the attackers at the forward position will be substituted by the Brazilian player.

Luka Modric once again showed his influential role as a substitute in the match against Barcelona, so earning another opportunity to showcase his value from the bench.

Lucas Vazquez and Brahim Diaz are potential candidates to receive playing time during the latter half of the match, particularly if Real Madrid maintains a dominant position.