How Real Madrid could line up against Osasuna

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will shuffle his pack for Saturday's La Liga clash with Osasuna.

Los Blancos were back in league action on Wednesday night following the Club World Cup, recording a 4-0 victory over Elche to move to within eight points of division leaders Barcelona in the table.

Vinicius Junior was suspended for the four-goal success, but the Brazil international will be back in the starting XI for this weekend's contest.

Ferland Mendy will again be missing due to a hamstring problem, while Toni Kroos is still absent through illness, and Karim Benzema will be unavailable due to muscular fatigue.

Ancelotti said ahead of Wednesday's match that Thibaut Courtois - recently sidelined with a thigh problem - would be available for selection against Osasuna, and the Belgian is in the squad for this match alongside Eden Hazard, who has also recovered from injury.

The Real Madrid head coach will have one eye on next week's Champions League last-16 first leg with Liverpool, so there might be five changes from the game against Elche, with Andriy Lunin, Nacho, Eduardo Camavinga and Marco Asensio potentially dropping out, but Rodrygo could start at centre-forward in the absence of Benzema.

Federico Valverde could be moved forward to join Rodrygo and Vinicius in attack, with Luka Modric, Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger possibly being brought back into the XI.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Alaba; Modric, Tchouameni, Ceballos; Valverde, Rodrygo, Vinicius