The toughest draw we could possibly get in the Copa. According to Marca ZZ will rotate in this game to keep everyone fresh for the 2 back 2 back games mid Jan. Sevilla are gping to make us run like crazy with their high octane tempo. As the first game is at home we need to go out there and bring back a comfy lead because the away game is going to be hell.

The LaLiga game is more important so if we got ourselves a win in the first leg I would rest the whole XI in the return leg

For the first leg, you'll likely won't see the high press from Sevilla. Sampaoli has taken a more cautious approach to these sorts of away games, usually playing without strikers. So maybe something like:


Although predicting the starting line-up is tricky since I'm not sure how Sampaoli will rotate for these three games. I'm sure though that the intent will be to stifle Madrid in the first leg then play more aggressively in the home leg.

If Sampaoli chooses a more cautious approach (hopefully) then that'll be better for us. We respond better when the away team retreats as opposed to when they take the game to us and try to compete toe to toe.

The away game is going to be very exhausting so I wouldn't play the starters there back to back. Have the starters play the first leg, just about scrape the 2nd leg and then go for the win in the league game

Lucas out for 2 weeks. If James still can't impress with BOTH Bale and Lucas out then there really is no hope for him in our team.

Think we should play with Kroos-Cas-Modric-Isco with Lucas out. Need that extra midfielder

Asensio pls

James off the right side?

The next two weeks will be crucial to Zidane's season.

They play Sevilla, 3 times and Granada. Sevilla is a decent team able to cause Madrid trouble, especially at home, which 2 of the games are.

Will Zidane be able to keep his unbeaten stetch going?
Will the team suffer from the world club championship adventure?
Will dropping a game or two be the start of a downward trend?

I say these next two weeks will go a long ways to determining how the rest of the season will unfold.

And they will be doing it without Lucas and Kovacic, which likely means Isco rides the bench to rotate with Modric / Kroos and James finally gets his chance to show his worth.

Whoever was suggesting above that we start with 4 midfielders, it's a no go as you need a reserve on bench and we only have 4 at this point. Same thing with suggestion that Asensio starts. You need a bench and bench right now is Asensio, Morata and Mariano.

So I might have been a bit off with my prediction of how Sevilla will play:

"Our idea is to push Madrid back into their own half," Sampaoli said. "If the game takes place in our area, we will suffer with their forwards, who are 'cracks.' The objective is to press high, to stop them playing out from the back, and have more possession than them, to have the ball. If we can control the game and win the ball back quickly, they will have less counter-attacks."

"[Modric] is unique for his dynamism, the way he gets forward, and the way he starts the play," he said. "If he and [Toni] Kroos manage the game, it will be dangerous for us."

We'll see, though. He's says things like this before every game.

Ramos is out injured for the first leg. According to Marca Ronaldo won't play either. Also Pepe seems to have gotten reinjured. Varane + Nacho it is

Squad

Goalkeepers: Navas, Casilla and Yanez.
Fenders: Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Coentrão and Danilo.
Midfielders: Kroos, James, Casemiro, Asensio, Modric, Odegaard and Isco.
Front: Morata, Benzema and Mariano.

Pepe out for a few weeks after a relapse of his injury. Perhaps he should just accept one more season after all. This season has been disastrous for him in term of injuries

So not much left to debate about lineup.

It's Navas or Kiko
Carvajal Varane Nacho Marcelo with Danilo, Coentrao on bench
Modric Casemiro Kross with Isco on bench
James, Benz, Asensio with Morata, Mariano, Odegaard on bench

It sounds like Zidane is taking care to make sure he has strongest lineup possible for Sevilla liga game and return Copa game. If a game has to be lost, this is the game to let it happen, possibly putting the least valuable trophy at risk.

IMO, this is the game for James, Varane and possibly Asensio is strut their stuff.

According to Marca Benz ans Morata will start up front together with Isco behind. Seems like a 4312 formation unless ZZ is benching one of the mids and playing James/Asensio instead to make it a 442

Nice line up. ZZ trusting the front line from the Copa. Confident of a win

Sevilla team:


That's how they could set-up, anyway. Could be a back three.

Would be foolish of them not to play a back 3 when they are so used to it. Ganso, Correa.....our chance of a win just increased 2 fold

Looks like ZZ wants to match their intensity with our line up particularly the front line

Top top half

A few mistakes towards the end of the half but apart from that there is nothing I can fault these guys of

Casilla has been immense. Saving those 1v1s ffs

Complete shit game from morata lmao

This is the best game we have played this season. Absolutely loved our intensity, our passing under pressure our teamwork. Fabulous game

This midfield when not injured is hard to top. They all complement eachother perfectly.

Motm no doubt for me though is Nacho. He stopped absolutely everything that came his way. Think it'll be hard to hold onto him in the summer. He doesn't deserve to sit on a bench

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who appreciates Nacho's talent, loyalty and professionalism.

Best game was against Atletico though.

So glad ZZ is such an average manager.

Average? Pshh. That's a compliment

Nobody would've criticized him if he had been playing like this all along. Our criticism was and still is valid, and it stems from countless games won through individual brilliance and good fortune.

Don't act as if the criticism was unfair.

As for whether or not Z is an average manager, you'll have your answer at the end of the season.

Expect the criticism to come back if he screws up, and rightly so.

Whats s nice little game. This is where Zidane shines so far this season, big games unlike Carlo, he gets these guys to focus and to play to their level. Sevilla looked like they had no clue what to do against us, but damn what a nice midfield we have, technically they are so so good