Three topics of conversation before the Real Madrid vs Alaves match | La Liga GW7

Real Madrid's third consecutive game at the Santiago Bernabeu is scheduled to kick off this evening as part of the 7th matchday of La Liga.

After winning their last four games in all competitions, The Royal are strong and are slowly but surely improving their performance.

Tonight they face Luis Garcia's Deportivo Alaves at home, a game that is anything but hopeless.

Alaves currently sit seventh in La Liga with ten points, just four behind Real Madrid. So far this season they have won three games, drawn one and lost two.

When the two teams met at the Santiago Bernabeu last season, Real Madrid swept Alaves 5-0, with goals from Vinicius Jr., Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde.

In fact, the Meringues has only failed to win against the Basques once since 2000.

Madrid Universal presents you three topics of conversation before the Real Madrid vs Deportivo Alaves match.

Critical rotations

The schedule for the 2024-25 season has always been considered one of the toughest in history, but it is only now gaining momentum.

After a relatively uncomplicated opening phase, Real Madrid now has a game on the schedule every three days, which is certainly taking its toll on the fitness of the players.

Carlo Ancelotti is therefore under pressure to change the squad every now and then, and today's game against Alaves seems to be the perfect night for the coach to reshuffle his cards.

Later this week, Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid in the derby. The match will take place at the Civitas Metropolitano and is a rematch of the only league match The Royal lost last season.

The priority is therefore on this weekend's clash and tonight could be the night when Ancelotti makes big changes.

First of all, players like Arda Guler and Luka Modric could start alongside Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield, giving Federico Valverde some much-needed rest.

The question, however, is whether the coach will use four or three midfielders that evening, especially given the limited resources.

Vinicius Jr. is expected to return to the lineup after missing out on the starting lineup last weekend, which could give Kylian Mbappe a day off, but a lot will depend on Endrick's fitness and availability.

The double injury scare

The situation of two players is of particular concern to Ancelotti and Co. ahead of Tuesday's clash: Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal.

The former player has been suffering from shoulder problems since his injury last season. He showed visible pain in his arm during his team's last game and it is not yet clear whether he will play against Alaves.

Bellingham is pushing to be in the starting line-up this evening and is ready to play for the team despite the pain. The final decision will rest with the manager, who will have to consider not only the Englishman's long-term fitness but also the upcoming derby.

Carvajal, meanwhile, asked to be substituted after scoring the equaliser at the weekend.

His injury does not appear to be serious, as the manager confirmed in his pre-match press conference, but he will not be available for action later today, so the spotlight will turn to Lucas Vazquez, who will step in as a substitute.

A historic record

Real Madrid’s victory over Espanyol was a special occasion because it was the night the men in white completed a “perfect cycle”.

Considering that Real Madrid's last defeat in La Liga was against Atletico Madrid last season, they are now unbeaten in 38 games in the competition, which is an amazing achievement.

Tomorrow they have the chance to extend their record beyond the perfect cycle of 38 games and start a second cycle without defeat, which could even close the gap to the historical record currently held by Barcelona.

The Catalans currently hold the longest winning streak in La Liga, having gone 43 games without defeat under Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde.

Should The Royal If they continue their winning streak in the coming games, they have the opportunity to The Blaugranas Record in The ClassicTonight is the first of four steps that will lead you to Classic with intact recording.