Real Madrid will be looking to make it three La Liga victories in a row when they resume their domestic campaign away to lowly Granada on Sunday afternoon.
Los Blancos are currently second in the table, one point behind leaders Real Sociedad, while Granada occupy 17th, having picked up just 11 points from their first 12 matches of the 2021-22 campaign.
Match preview
There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough start to the season for Granada, who have won two, drawn five and lost five of their opening 12 matches to collect 11 points, which has left them in 17th.
Having finished seventh and ninth in their last two seasons at this level, a lot was expected of Robert Moreno's side this term, but they currently find themselves at the wrong end of the table.
Granada have shown a lot of improvement in recent weeks, though, losing just one of their last five league matches, which was a 2-0 reverse at Espanyol just before the international break.
Moreno's team have beaten Sevilla and Granada, in addition to drawing with Osasuna and Getafe, since the start of October and will believe that they have more than enough to avoid a relegation battle.
Granada have not beaten Real Madrid in the league since February 2013, though, losing each of their last 12 top-flight fixtures against the capital giants, including a 4-1 defeat in the corresponding clash last term.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, entered the international break off the back of a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano, with Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema scoring the goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Los Blancos have won eight, drawn three and lost one of their 12 league matches this season to collect 27 points, which has left them second in the table, one point behind leaders Real Sociedad, although the Basque outfit have played a game more.
Real Madrid are comfortably the leading scorers in La Liga this term with 28, but they have conceded 13 times down the other end, keeping just one clean sheet in their last five league outings.
Ancelotti's side have not been without their problems this season, but they are now very much on course to advance to the knockout round of the Champions League and will be content with their position in Spain's top flight heading into the next set of fixtures.
It is a huge few weeks for the club, though, as they will face Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League next week before three straight league matches against Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, which come ahead of a home game against Inter Milan in Europe and a league clash with Atletico Madrid.
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Team News
Granada will again be without the services of Domingos Duarte due to a muscular problem, while Luis Milla and Isma Ruiz are unlikely to be available for selection.
Yan Eteki and Maxime Gonalons have both recovered from issues over the international break, though, and will be in contention to come into the starting XI this weekend.
Darwin Machis is also pushing for a spot in the side, but it seems likely that Luis Suarez and Jorge Molina will again feature as the front two in a 4-4-2 formation.
As for Real Madrid, Dani Ceballos and Gareth Bale are unavailable for selection through injury, but Federico Valverde, Mariano Diaz and Rodrygo have all returned to fitness over the international break.
There are not expected to be any real surprises in the away side's XI, with Luka Modric set to re-join Casemiro and Kroos in the middle of the park.
Head coach Ancelotti could decide to make just two changes from the team that took to the field for the first whistle against Rayo before the international break, with Rodrygo coming in for Marco Asensio, and Modric taking the place of Eduardo Camavinga.
Granada possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Quini, Diaz, Sanchez, Neva; Rochina, Monchu, Gonalons, Soro; Molina, Suarez
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius
We say: Granada 1-3 Real Madrid
Granada have been much-improved in recent weeks and are certainly capable of making this an uncomfortable match for Real Madrid, who have had a lot of players away on international duty. That said, we are finding it very difficult to predict anything other than a comfortable away success for Ancelotti's side.
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