'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Real Madrid stars have been posting regular updates on social media recently, as they collectively step up their preparations for the La Liga season - which is expected to resume next month.
As we reported on Monday, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos was among those providing updates for supporters with a trio of well-taken strikes posted on Instagram during a finishing training drill.
They and league rivals Barcelona began training in groups of 10 at the start of this week, an improvement on proceedings as players were previously only allowed to feature individually - a precautionary safety measure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Real Madrid posted a one-minute video on their English and Spanish Twitter accounts, showing their players in action today with various exercises and activities.
Trending
Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Marco Asensio, Luka Modric, Casemiro and captain Ramos were among those recorded at the club's training base, from stretching to staggered circuit jogging - keeping inline with social distancing - as well as small-sided possession drills.
You can watch the video here:
However as one eagle-eyed fan commented, there was no sign of £90m signing Eden Hazard, who has recently recovered from a lengthy lower leg injury.
The Belgian winger has posted his own updates recently, but also said it was important he used the rest of these unprecedented times to focus on building his fitness and doing more ball work, having been regularly injured during a frustrating first season at Real Madrid.
Barcelona held a slender two-point advantage over Real Madrid when play was suspended in mid-March, with Los Blancos' last game being a frustrating 2-1 away defeat by Betis on March 8 - just seven days after a memorable 2-0 El Clasico victory at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid step up their prep ahead of play resuming
Zinedine Zidane's men remain confident that they can pip Barca to domestic glory this season, with the campaign expected to resume at some stage next month.
They have a favourable run of fixtures between now and matchday 38, with Real Sociedad and Getafe among their more difficult games left to play.
Leganes head coach Javier Aguirre revealed plans to begin finishing the La Liga season from Saturday, June 20 onwards as they aim to mirror the Bundesliga's recent success with behind closed doors fixtures being televised last weekend.
The club's top goalscorer, Karim Benzema, will be itching to return to match sharpness quickly and help propel Real Madrid to only their second La Liga title since 2011-12.
Last week, Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tweeted to say he was also "training hard" ahead of the proposed La Liga resumption. He's eager to add more silverware to an ever-increasing trophy cabinet which has just one Spanish title.
Elsewhere at Real Madrid, defender Eder Militao will feel he has something to prove: displacing the Ramos-Varane centre-back pairing has proven tricky, despite his £45m move from FC Porto last summer.
On Tuesday, Spain had a confirmed 615 new coronavirus cases and further 69 deaths.
