Defending champions Real Madrid are looking for their first home win of the La Liga season when they play host to Espanyol at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening.
Los Blancos have drawn two and lost one of their first three outings in the Spanish capital this term, seeing them lose ground on early pacesetters Barcelona.
Real Madrid
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On the back of the midweek Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund, a victory secured thanks to a wonderstrike from Gareth Bale and another Cristiano Ronaldo brace, boss Zinedine Zidane was quick to talk up the "perfect" performance from his side.
The three points at the Westfalenstadion, adding to their previous European win at home to APOEL a fortnight ago, has left Real Madrid level on points with Tottenham Hotspur heading into their upcoming double-header.
Madrid quite simply love playing on the continent, having lifted the Champions League three times in four years, but it is fair to say that they are making far tougher work of defending another of the crowns that they picked up in a memorable campaign last time out.
Drawing at home to Valencia in their first home league outing of the season could go down as a minor blip, while doing likewise against Levante soon after was also put down as 'one of those days', as Los Blancos failed to find a winner after battling back.
There can be no excuses after going down to Real Betis last time out at the Bernabeu, though, as the reigning Spanish and European champions squandered a few big chances and were then caught out by a late sucker-punch on the counter through Antonio Sanabria.
Madrid fell to defeat at home in La Liga for just the second time in 27 matches, while also failing to score for the first time in 74 outings in all competitions since a goalless draw against Manchester City in April 2016.
It was a defeat that was tough to take for Zidane, but he has been pleased by the way his players have since responded with wins over Alaves and Dortmund, ensuring that they have won all four away games this term to balance out their terrible home form.
To make matters worse for Los Blancos, table-toppers Barcelona have won a perfect six from six in La Liga - and eight from eight overall since the sides met in the Supercopa de Espana in mid-August - to move seven points clear at the summit, with that gap likely to widen before Madrid take on Espanyol.
Recent form in La Liga: WDDWLW
Recent form (all competitions): DWWLWW
Espanyol
© Getty Images
Espanyol have managed to get back on track following a slow start to the season that saw them accrue one point from a possible nine, albeit with trips to Sevilla and Barcelona to contend with in the opening weeks.
The Periquitos have since defeated Celta Vigo and Deportivo La Coruna at Estadi Cornella-El Prat, however, while also playing out a goalless draw away at Villarreal in between.
That has left the Barcelona-based club just outside the top half of the division as one of three teams on eight points, with games against Levante and Real Sociedad - both currently one point better off - to come after this weekend.
Boss Quique Flores will be looking to build on last season's 12th-place finish, but reports in the British press over the past week suggest that the ex-Watford boss is a surprise managerial target for English Football League side Birmingham City.
The Spaniard remains at the helm for the time being, though, and he urged his players to "be smart" and cut out the mistakes prior to their impressive 4-1 triumph over Deportivo last Sunday - advice they quite clearly took.
Unbeaten in three and with a decent clean sheet at the Estadio de la Ceramica last time out on their travels, the Periquitos will no doubt attempt to soak up the pressure in the same manner as Valencia, Levante and Betis before them in the hope of becoming the latest side to frustrate their opponents.
Madrid, despite their home struggles, have still managed to score at least twice in 19 of their last 22 league matches, though, so it could be a daunting evening ahead for Flores and his mid-table side.
Recent form in La Liga: DLLWDW
Team News
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An injury picked up by Theo Hernandez could see Nacho come into the fold at left-back, though there is a more settled feel to Madrid's back four as Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal are all expected to start.
Bale has returned to something close to his best form since the last international break, bagging two goals and two assists in his last four outings, but a calf problem is likely to keep him out this weekend.
Should that be the case, Lucas Vazquez is an option for the right-hand side, alongside Marco Asensio and Ronaldo, while Isco will start a little deeper in a midfield three.
In terms of the visitors, Flores has no fresh injury concerns and could therefore stick with the same XI that thrashed Deportivo 4-1 last weekend.
Gerard Moreno has three goals in three games heading into this clash and will be partnered by Leo Baptistao - arguably the star performer in that most recent league outing - up top.
Elsewhere, Javi Fuego has returned to fitness and is favourite to link up with Sergi Darder in the centre of the park, with Jose Manuel Jurado and Pablo Piatti offering support from wider areas.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho; Isco, Kroos, Modric; Vazquez, Ronaldo, Asensio
Espanyol possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Sanchez, Hermoso, Lopez, Martin; Juardo, Darder, Fuego, Piatti; Moreno, Baptistao
Head To Head
Real Madrid have won each of their last 10 meetings against Espanyol in all competitions, including a 2-0 victory the last time they faced off at the Bernabeu in February.
To make matters worse for the visitors, they have conceded at least twice in 17 of their last 18 visits to this famous ground, with 5-0 and 4-0 thrashings in recent years.
Los Blancos have also kept a clean sheet in seven of their last nine home matches against Espanyol, taking a lead into half time in each of those fixtures.
We say: Real Madrid 3-0 Espanyol
Madrid were heavily backed to pick up victories in their three most recent home matches, none of which they managed to win. The loss to Betis in particular is still no doubt in the system, but Madrid will surely get back on track at the Bernabeu with three points in front of their supporters on Sunday evening.
Daniel Lewis
