Eibar vs Real Madrid - Real without Ronaldo and Bale as they look to get title bid back

Posted Saturday, March 04, 2017 by PA

Real Madrid are set to be without both Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo as they head to Eibar on Saturday with the battle at the top of LaLiga intensifying.

Zinedine Zidane's men fought back from 3-1 down to draw with Las Palmas at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night, Ronaldo scoring two late goals after Bale had been sent off.

The Wales forward has been hit with a two-game ban following his dismissal and will sit out the trip to the Ipurua Municipal Stadium, while Ronaldo was not included in the 19-man travelling squad released by the club on Friday evening.

Zidane had been sweating on the fitness of Ronaldo after he did not train with his team-mates on Friday, and has decided not to take the Portuguese to Eibar.

Ronaldo and Bale will be joined on the sidelines by striker Alvaro Morata, who is suspended.

Despite rallying to secure a point against Las Palmas, the midweek draw allowed Barcelona to move above Real.

Real still gave a game in hand on their rivals and remain two points ahead of third-placed Sevilla, and Zidane is calling on all of his players to stand up and be counted.

He told the club's official website: "I have 24 players and my message has always been the same since I arrived: everyone is important. I am not going to change.

"I have to make decisions and some players will be left out and others on the bench. If we want to win LaLiga we cannot drop points, playing every three days we will need to rotate.

"I am not going to disregard anyone, I am satisfied with all of my players, whatever happens between now and the end".

Zidane believes the players are paying the price for a slow start in recent matches, having lost last month away at Valencia.

"We are not doing as well as we were before. We have been poor in the first half of the last three or four games," the Real coach said.

"At the end of the day we cannot be content with what we are doing, but we have time to change and we will turn it around."

Eibar midfielder Pedro Leon knows full well the challenge which will await the home side, no matter what form Real may be in.

"Wednesday's result was not a good one for them, but we are aware that even if they don't perform, they are still capable of easily beating you. They will be coming here to get the three points," former Real player Leon told his current club's official website, www.sdeibar.com.

"We have performed well in all of our home games and if we perform to a high standard, then we can make Real Madrid's life difficult.

"But we must recognise that they are the favourites because they are one of the best sides in the world."