Real Madrid v Levante
Alcaraz admits underdog status
Levante manager Lucas Alcaraz has played down any talk of his side causing an upset at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
Despite Real Madrid's poor run of form, which has seen the fans turn on some of the players and the management, Alcaraz knows that on their day they are more than capable of beating his side.
Speaking to Levante's official website, Alcaraz explained it would need an excellent team effort.
He said: "The players have to play as a team, being able to have order when we have the ball and not suffer losses.
"The potential of Madrid is always high."
A 2-1 over Eibar lifted Levante out of relegation trouble, but the manager does not think it will mean much come Sunday.
"Clearly we won the last game, but there is a vast difference between the potential of Madrid and ours," he said.
Madrid president Florentino Perez was forced to come out in support of his manager this week, declaring "Ancelotti will continue".
A patchy run of form has seen them drop to second in the table, but it was arguably the 4-3 defeat to Schalke on Tuesday night which was the more damaging to the atmosphere around the club.
Despite the uncertainty, Sergio Ramos brushed off the concerns, telling Marca: "If there's one thing that defines our camp it's joy, in every 'rondo' [piggy-in-the-middle passing drill] and exercise we do.
"First and foremost you have to be happy and have fun, and we have a terrific atmosphere in the dressing room."
Ramos is expected to return to the side after injury, but Toni Kroos is expected to be rested in preparation for next week's crucial clash with Barcelona.
That means midfielders Lucas Silva and Luka Modric are likely to be recalled to the side, the latter after making his comeback from a serious thigh injury in the Champions League defeat.
Daniel Carvajal could also be welcomed back after returning to training with the rest of the squad, but despite a step-up in his rehab, James Rodriguez is not yet ready to return to action.
Malaga aim to add to Cordoba's woes
Malaga midfielder Ignacio Camacho has warned that his side will be in no mood for charity when struggling Cordoba visit the Rosaleda on Sunday.
Miroslav Djukic's side are bottom of the Primera Division, eight points from safety, and have lost their last seven league games in a row.
But Malaga have set their sights on clinging on to seventh place in the table and earning a possible Europa League place next season.
"We know Cordoba's situation and that they desperately need the points, but we want to defend our place in seventh spot," Camacho told a press conference.
"With 41 points we have virtually secured survival and now we should be ambitious and not let this opportunity slip away.
"We depend on ourselves and we have this gap [an eight-point advantage over Athletic Bilbao in eighth place], which means we shouldn't be looking over our shoulder but looking ahead. As long as we keep playing as we are we will be on the right track."
However, Malaga go into the game after losing 1-0 to Granada, another team fighting to avoid relegation, and Camacho admitted his side host Cordoba "after playing a bad match" but predicted the duel with Djukic's side would be "an exciting game".
Coach Javi Gracia has named the same squad for the third consecutive match and is still without striker Javi Guerra, Juanpi and Sergio Sanchez, while Cordoba's only fresh absentee from their last-gasp defeat to Getafe last week is defender Inigo Perez, who is suspended.
Cordoba striker Florin Andone insists his team are still in good spirits in spite of their hapless run, which he hopes to bring to an end against Malaga.
"We are aware that it's very complicated for us, but we are certainly not lacking in hope," he told the Primera Division's official website. "There are lots of games left and lots of points to play for.
"One victory would give us the strength to face the next games. We have lost seven games in a row and we don't deserve that, we are just lacking a little bit of luck and a win to lift our spirits."
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