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Real Madrid kick off their LaLiga campaign against Getafe at the Bernabeu late on Sunday night. After Barcelona's thrilling 3-0 victory over Alaves on Saturday evening, Los Blancos will be looking to respond with a convincing victory against their city rivals.
The match signifies the beginning of a new era for Real. The summer departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane shook the club to its foundations and created a huge level of uncertainty heading into the new season.
Questions remain over who will step up to the role of talisman for the Champions League holders with Gareth Bale the player widely expected to shoulder the responsibility. In the dugout, it will be fascinating to see how Julen Lopetegui adapts to his new managerial role after leading the Spanish national team so dramatically just before the World Cup.
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Los Blancos come into this game following a disappointing 4-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. They will hope to quickly bounce back against another local rival on Sunday night and keep early pace with Barcelona at the top of the table.
Real Madrid Team News
Los Blancos enter the new LaLiga season with an almost completely fit squad. The only unavailable player for their clash against Getafe is the 21-year-old defender, Jesus Vallejo who suffered a muscle injury and is out for at least a few more weeks.
Meanwhile, new signings Thibaut Courtois, Vinicius Junior, Alvaro Odriozola, and Andriy Lunin are all available for selection. Luka Modric could remain on the sidelines for this game as he returns to full fitness following his run to the final of the World Cup and amid speculation linking him with a move to Inter Milan.
Probable Lineup & Formation
Julen Lopetegui is widely expected to line his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation as he did against Atletico in the UEFA Super Cup.
There are questions marks about whether Courtois will get the nod to make his debut in goal and based on Lopetegui's selection in his previous game, we may see Keylor Navas between the sticks in this match.
The 4-man defense picks itself and will more than likely feature the four main players from last season. Marcelo is a key player for this Madrid team and should feature on the left side of defense with Daniel Carvajal on the right side of the defensive line.
The center-back pairing of Sergio Ramos and World Cup winner, Rafael Varane will be key to stopping any counterattacks from a Getafe side who are likely to try and break quickly during the game.
The defensive and central midfield partnership of Toni Kroos and Casemiro will work at breaking down attacks and moving the ball swiftly to the front four with pinpoint passes.
Just in front of this pair, we could see an interchanging line featuring Gareth Bale, Isco, and Marco Asensio who will all be the main creators for Los Blancos.
Alone up front, Karim Benzema will feel the pressure despite his goal against Atletico last week. The French forward scored only five times in LaLiga last season and will need to dramatically improve those numbers in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo in this campaign.
Real Madrid's Predicted XI
What will be the final score in this match? Let us know in the comments below.
