A frustrated Real Madrid side will look to get their title bid back on track on Easter Sunday when they host La Liga strugglers Granada at the Bernabeu.
An international break prevented Carlo Ancelotti from producing a quick response to a disappointing loss in El Clasico, while the visitors are looking for a shock result to boost their survival hopes.
Real Madrid
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For the players, coaches and fans, one of the biggest challenges at Real Madrid is attempting to recover from a defeat in El Clasico, especially when the result hands the advantage to Barcelona in the title race.
A 2-1 loss at Camp Nou allowed Barcelona to move four points clear at the top of the table, and the pressure on Ancelotti and his squad has been turned up once again entering the final 10 games of the season.
The experienced Italian will be keen to stress that the title is far from lost, and it would be a safe bet to assume that there will be at least one more twist before the end of the season, but Real can hardly afford another defeat if they are to catch an in-form Barcelona side.
One win in five games in all competitions will come as a surprise to most people, and the issues surrounding the clubs in recent weeks have been clear, with Gareth Bale's struggles to win over the supporters sharing centre stage with rumours that Ancelotti could lose his job if he does not win La Liga or the Champions League.
Another disappointing result, or even a below-par display, will not be accepted by the home fans on Sunday with Real under pressure to record an emphatic win against one of the sides fighting for their place in the top flight of Spanish football.
Matches against Rayo Vallecano and Eibar follow before the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid, and results over the next four games could have a big say in how this season will be viewed, especially if Los Blancos struggle to deliver the goods.
Recent form: WWDLWL
Recent form (all competitions): WDLLWL
Granada
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As Real look to collect the points needed to keep their title dream alive, Granada's need for wins are just as severe, but they head into the latest round of fixtures in a very different situation to their opponents.
Despite winning just two of their last 19 La Liga games, Abel Resino's side are still in with a good chance of playing in the top flight, but the Granada boss will be fully aware that an extended run of defeats could prove to be pivotal.
Concentrating on the nine games after the trip to the capital would be understandable, but a shock result at the Bernabeu may be the turning point Granada have needed, and an impressive display is certain to give them confidence heading into the closing stages of the campaign.
However, Resino must be wary of seeing his struggling squad suffer an emphatic loss which would be damaging in more ways than one with just two points separating them from 17th-placed Almeria.
The fixture list has been far from kind to Granada, with four of their next five games against sides in the top half of the table, and eyes may have already turned to next weekend's trip to Almeria, which could be a season-defining game for both teams.
Although the Bernabeu may not be the easiest place to end a poor run, the visitors simply have to find a way to improve their performances on the road, with the only away win of their campaign coming back in September.
Recent form: DLLWLD
Team News
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The home side are expected to be without central defender Pepe after the club confirmed that he picked up a thigh injury in the loss to Barcelona before the international break.
Pepe's absence is likely to mean that Raphael Varane will partner Sergio Ramos at the back, but Ancelotti is unlikely to make major changes to his regular XI, with Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo set to lead the attack once again.
Isco will miss the game due to suspension, but there has been good news for Real this week, with James Rodriguez set to return to the squad after recovering from a foot injury.
The threat of Real's front three could persuade Resino to switch from a 4-2-3-1 formation to add another body in the centre of midfield, which may see Javi Marquez earn a place in the starting lineup.
Jhon Cordoba is expected to play as the lone strike for the visitors, with the Colombian's main support coming from Piti.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Modric, Kroos, Silva, Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo
Granada possible starting lineup:
Oier, Nyom, Murillo, Babin, Insua, Perez, Rico, Marquez, Bangoura, Piti, Cordoba
Head To Head
Rodriguez stole the show in the reverse fixture between the two sides in November by scoring twice to lead his side to a 4-0 victory.
It was a similar story for Real, who have won six of the last seven meetings. Granada's only triumph in the fixture during that run came when Cristiano Ronaldo's own goal handed them all three points in February 2013.
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Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:
We say: Real Madrid 3-0 Granada
Granada will be targeting other fixtures for the points they need to climb out of the relegation zone, and we are backing Real Madrid to return to top form with a comfortable victory on Easter Sunday.
Callum Mulvihill
