How Real Madrid could line up against Espanyol

Real Madrid will continue their 2019-20 La Liga season with a home game against struggling Espanyol on Saturday afternoon.

Los Blancos have won their last three in Spain's top flight, including a 2-1 success away to Alaves last weekend.

Madrid sit second in Spain's top flight behind Barcelona, although both teams have collected 31 points from their 14 league matches this season.

Barca are not in action until Saturday night, though, meaning that a positive result for Zinedine Zidane's side against Espanyol would see them move to the top of the table.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the capital giants could line up when they take to the field against the league's 19th-placed side.

Out: Marco Asensio (knee), Lucas Vazquez (toe), James Rodriguez (knee), Eden Hazard (ankle), Marcelo (calf) Doubtful: Nacho (knee), Gareth Bale (leg)

Madrid will again be without the services of Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez and James Rodriguez through injury, while Nacho is unlikely to be involved despite recently returning to training following a knee problem.

Eden Hazard has also definitely been ruled out of the clash with a stress fracture in his right ankle, meaning that the Belgium international will miss the remainder of 2019, including El Clasico on December 18.

Zidane is still expected to make changes from last weekend's clash with Alaves, though, with Thibaut Courtois, Raphael Varane and Federico Valverde among those who could return to the starting XI.

Ferland Mendy is almost certain to get the nod at left-back, meanwhile, with Marcelo ruled out of this weekend's clash - and potentially El Clasico - due to a calf problem.

Gareth Bale has not yet trained with his teammates this week due to a leg injury, and Hazard's absence means that potentially two spots in attack will be up for grabs.

Rodrygo Goes could be given the nod, whilst Isco is the favourite to start on the opposite side with Vinicius Junior – recently linked with Manchester United – currently out of favour at the Bernabeu.