Real Valladolid host Real Madrid at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Saturday night, but it is a game that will be conditioned by the sheer number of absentees for both Sergio Gonzalez and Zinedine Zidane.
The latter has nine players out after Karim Benzema's last-minute knock, which means that he is unable to rest any of his key players ahead of the first leg of Real Madrid's Champions League last-16 tie against Atalanta on Wednesday.
So, barring any surprises, Zidane will go all out at Zorrilla and will keep his fingers crossed that there are no injuries. In fact, he will only have two first-team players on the bench in Andriy Lunin and Isco; the rest will be made up of youth players: Diego Altube, Victor Chust, Miguel Gutierrez, Sergio Arribas, Antonio Blanco and Hugo Duro.
Valladolid, meanwhile, have six players out injured, as well as the suspended Lucas Olaza. Sergio will be celebrating his 100th LaLiga Santander game as a coach, and he is able to welcome back Joaquin Fernandez, Fede San Emeterio and Ruben Alcaraz, as well as Oscar Plano.
Probable line-ups
Real Valladolid (4-4-2): Jordi Masip; Saidy Janko, Joaquin Fernandez, Bruno Gonzalez, Nacho Martinez; Fabian Orellana, Kike Perez, Roque Mesa, Oscar Plano; Shon Weissman, Sergi Guardiola.
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Nacho Fernandez, Raphael Varane, Ferland Mendy; Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric; Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, Vinicius Junior.
