Real Madrid Seeks to Close Gap on Barca in Pivotal La Liga Matchup

Real Madrid faces off against Alaves in a crucial La Liga clash as they look to keep pace with league-leading Barcelona.
Real Madrid will be looking to maintain their pursuit of La Liga leaders Barcelona when they host Alaves in a vital league encounter. With the top of the table tight, Carlo Ancelotti's side know they can't afford any slip-ups if they want to reel in their rivals.
The Whites bounced back from their surprise defeat to Mallorca with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Girona last time out, but they'll be wary of Alaves, who have proven a tricky opponent in recent seasons.
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Ancelotti will be boosted by the return of Karim Benzema after the French striker missed the Girona game through injury. However, the Madrid boss faces a selection headache in defense, with Eder Militao suspended and Antonio Rudiger an injury doubt.
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Alaves, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency this season and sit just two points above the relegation zone. Luis Garcia's side were beaten 2-1 by Cádiz in their last outing, and they'll need to be at their best to get anything from this trip to the Santiago Bernabéu.
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With Barcelona having already played, Real Madrid know they can't afford any slip-ups as they look to keep the pressure on at the top of the table. This promises to be a tightly contested affair, and Ancelotti will be hoping his side can secure all three points to maintain their challenge.
Source: Al Jazeera


