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The trip to La Liga new boys Eibar will not be a walk in the park for Real Madrid and promises to drag the European champions out of their comfort zone.
The international break came at the worst possible time for Carlo Ancelotti's men. Before the players went off with their countries, 'Los Blancos' were in red-hot form, having soared to the top of the table and gained plaudits aplenty across the world for their devastatingly effective possession-based style of play.
Now, two weeks on, there is a danger of all that momentum having evaporated. All the more so with Croatian orchestrator Luka Modric laid low, though the fans and squad remain confident Ancelotti will find the winning formula in his absence.
Today's venue itself could call for a less intricate approach. The Ipurúa pitch is five metres narrower than the Bernabéu and, with the crowd right on top of the action and the balconies of the surrounding buildings packed to the rafters, it can prove an intimidating place to visit.
Though the Real boss is keen to keep up his side's swashbuckling antics, he knows that coming away with three points is what matters most and has told his players that these are the sorts of matches in which titles can be won and lost. As such, the Italian has made it clear that some blood and thunder would not be amiss amid the artistry if it gets the job done.
