Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos all out for Real Madrid's crunch La Liga clash at Deportivo La Coruna

Zinedine Zidane has rested two of his key players, a risky move with Madrid needing to hold off Barcelona

Ed Malyon
Wednesday 26 April 2017 05:47 EDT
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The 31-year-old will be left in Madrid as his side look to hold off Barca
The 31-year-old will be left in Madrid as his side look to hold off Barca (Getty Images)

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Real Madrid will try their luck with a much-rotated team at Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday night, with Zinedine Zidane resting Cristiano Ronaldo and Toni Kroos.

The Frenchman has opted to leave the Portuguese superstar at home, making this the fourth away game that Ronaldo has been left out of in recent weeks.

Kroos, a midfield metronome of great importance to this team, will also stay in the Spanish capital to recuperate.

It means that, with Sergio Ramos suspended after a red card in el clásico and Gareth Bale freshly injured, Madrid are going to Depor with a significantly-weakened side.

They will, however, be able to count on Raphael Varane, who is fit enough to return to the squad and partner Nacho in central defence.

Should he relapse, the club will have just one senior centre-back fit - prompting Zidane to call up Castilla defender Alvaro Tejero.

Madrid are feeling the heat in La Liga after Barcelona's last-gasp victory at the Bernabeu on Sunday night.

That win from the Catalans means the two clubs are level on points atop La Liga but with Barca boasting the head-to-head advantage.

Real Madrid have a game in hand on their most hated rivals but also have a packed fixture list, with two legs of a gruelling Champions League semi-final with cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid to come.

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