13′ SAVE! Eibar have settled down over the last few minutes. Cristoforo’s shot from distance is an easy one for Courtois to deal with, the Madrid keeper getting both hands to the ball.
12′ Real Madrid have just lost one of their 11 LaLiga games against Eibar (W9 D1) – a 3-0 loss at Ipurua last season. They have won four of their five home matches during that sequence.
10′ Madrid forward Hazard is still not looking all that comfortable after the challenge a couple of minutes ago – Zidane will been keeping a close eye on that. Madrid are still well in control of the match, although Eibar have seen a bit more of the ball over the last 60 seconds or so.
8′ Hazard is caught late by Exposito and hobbles away from the challenge. That is a worrying sight for Zidane given the former Chelsea forward’s injury issues in his debut campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu.
7′ Eibar have not really been able to settle into the game yet, which is credit to their opponents for hitting the ground running. Having seen Barcelona score early in their 4-0 rout of Real Mallorca, Madrid have done likewise today.
5′ The Kroos goal is allowed to stand following a brief VAR check for an offside infringement against Benzema. A glorious start for Zidane’s men.
4′ GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!! MADRID 1-0 EIBAR!! It has taken Madrid all of 183 seconds to open the scoring on their return to action – and what a goal it is! Benzema is dispossessed in the box but Alvarez can only clear the ball as far as Kroos, who sends a delightful first-time shot over Dmitrovic and into the top-right corner from the edge of the box.
2′ The home side, as expected, are seeing plenty of the ball early on. Kroos drops deep to pick up possession and spreads a pass to Carvajal down the right, but Eibar are forming a solid wall in the final third.
1′ KICK-OFF! Madrid, desperate to make a winning return to LaLiga action, get us up and running in the Spanish capital!
The teams are coming out onto the pitch at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, with kick-off just moments away in this behind-closed-doors clash.
Real Madrid are unbeaten at home in LaLiga this season, winning nine and drawing four of their 13 matches. However, each of their remaining home fixtures this term will be staged at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano while the Santiago Bernabeu undergoes renovation work.
Eibar show four changes from their defeat to Real Sociedad a little over three months ago. Gonzalo Escalante misses out through suspension, his place in holding midfield taken by Cristoforo, while Bigas, Cote and Inui drop down to the bench. Oliveira, Soares and De Blasis are recalled to the XI.
Madrid suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Real Betis in their most recent outing on March 8. Zidane has made three changes on the back of that match, including a first start for fit-again Hazard since undergoing ankle surgery in January. Rodrygo also comes into the forward line, with Vinicius and Lucas Vazquez making way, while Carvajal takes over from Militao at right-back.
Subs: Esteban Burgos, Takashi Inui, Pedro Leon, Cote, Charles, Sergio Cubero, Quique Gonzalez, Yoel Rodriguez, Pedro Bigas, Alvaro Tejero, Pape Diop, Sergi Enrich.
EIBAR XI (4-2-3-1): Marko Dmitrovic; Rober Correa, Paulo Oliveira, Anaitz Arbilla (c), Rafa Soares; Sebastian Cristoforo, Sergio Alvarez; Fabian Orellana, Edu Exposito, Pablo De Blasis; Kike Garcia.
Subs: Gareth Bale, Diego Altube, Ferland Mendy, Javi Hernandez, James Rodriguez, Isco, Federico Valverde, Alphonse Areola, Vinicius Junior, Brahim Diaz, Marco Asensio, Eder Militao.
MADRID XI (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Daniel Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos (c), Marcelo; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Rodrygo, Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard.
Eibar enter this match 16th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone with 11 matches to go. Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side have lost four of their last five matches, most recently going down 2-1 at home to Real Sociedad on March 10.
Second-place Madrid are aiming to close the gap on leaders Barcelona, who beat Real Mallorca 4-0 on Saturday to move five points clear at the top. Zinedine Zidane’s men won just one of their last four matches prior to the coronavirus-enforced shutdown and cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to catch Barca.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the LaLiga clash between Real Madrid and Eibar at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
