DID YOU KNOW?
* In their seven home matches since the halfway point of the season, Sevilla have picked up five wins and two draws.
* When Sevilla last drew a league meeting with los Blancos, that result ensured that the capital side would finish the league in second place, and a similar result would likely have an identical effect.
* At home against these opponents, Sevilla boast a goals for average of 2.6 per game over the course of the last seven years.
* Look for the hosts to make a quick start – 16 of their previous 20 goals against los Blancos at home have been struck in the opening 45 minutes.
* Real Madrid have won five of their last six away matches on league duty. Their other fixture was drawn.
* This is not a venue Iker Casillas enjoys visiting. Conceding on average 2.38 goals per game he plays at the venue, this is least successful stadium in that regard.
* At the other end of the field, Karim Benzema has scored in six of his last seven league matches.
* Strangely, when either Angel di Maria or Ricardo Carvalho has been absent this term, Real Madrid have won all four of their games.
* Jose Mourinho’s side have a torrid record at this venue in recent times, losing five of their last seven and winning just once.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Sevilla (4-2-3-1)
Varas; Dabo, Fazio, Escude, Navarro; Medel, Romaric; Capel, Renato, Perotti; Negredo
Sevilla have suffered a double blow this week as influential playmaker Ivan Rakitic and solid right-back Martin Caceres have both suffered injuries that see them ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Diego Perotti will miss out, so teenager Luis Alberto will be involved in the squad, while Alexis Ruano continues to sit out too. Jesus Navas has not completely overcome a stress fracture.
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
Casillas; Ramos, Albiol, Carvalho, Marcelo; Pepe, Alonso; Ronaldo, Ozil, Di Maria; Higuain
Sami Khedira and Fernando Gago remain injury problems for Jose Mourinho, who will welcome back Pepe and Sergio Ramos from midweek suspension. Both are expected to go straight back into the starting XI.
Questions have been raised over Karim Benzema’s midweek place on the bench, though with an excellent recent scoring record, the Frenchman does have a case to challenge for a starting berth against Emmanuel Adebayor and Gonzalo Higuain.
Prediction
A midweek draw against Barcelona was not enough to see Real Madrid through to the final of the Champions League, but they remain one of Europe’s best sides. Away from home they have been a little unpredictable in the league, so Sevilla will prove a genuine test. Having picked up a 1-1 draw with Barcelona at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in March, the hosts will be hopeful of repeating that trick.
Sevilla 1-1 Real Madrid 
