There is not much to enjoy this season for the fans of Real Madrid, who can write the Spanish national title long and wide on her belly. However, it is imperative that the people of Madrid work quickly on their self-confidence, because the Champions League squatter against Paris Saint-Germain is imminent. Real Sociedad-home means the dress rehearsal for the capitals.

There are still some four months of competition football to go, but Real Madrid would prefer to say goodbye to La Liga. Last weekend, the teased top club suffered again for the tenth time in barely 21 rounds of play, by visiting Levante, a low flyer, to get no further than a 2-2 draw. Only the Champions League can save the season – and probably the job of trainer Zinedine Zidane – as well. This Wednesday, the first part of the diptych against Paris Saint-Germain will be on the program in the eighth finals of the European champions ball in their own Santiago Bernabeu.

The big question is what Zidane intends to do against Real Sociedad next weekend. Will he rotate to prevent any injuries and fatigue symptoms of his key players? Or does he choose the usual names, hoping to boost the fragile self-confidence of his team? At the time of writing, all Spanish media are still in the dark as regards the presumed basic eleven for Saturday night. Last season, Zidane regularly turned loose during the second half of the season, but then he still had luxury reserves such as Pepe, Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez. Of all clubs that managed to overwinter in the Champions League Real Madrid was the only one who did not make any purchases this winter. And that while Los Blancos in my eyes just crave fresh blood. Zidane, however, continues to believe in his current selection and continues to consistently defend his team outward in both good and bad times. Problem is, however, that his players regularly abandon him. The sloppiness that preceded the late 2-2 of Levante last weekend, that was really Real Madrid unworthy. Zidane therefore called his players this week and called on them to follow the example of captain Sergio Ramos. In this way he hopes to get everyone focused, in the hope that such slips will no longer occur.

Eusebio can still call himself a coach of Real Sociedad. After four league defeats in a row and of course the embarrassing elimination against third division Lleida, the coach had been given an ultimatum in the previous round: if he did not win, he could take his bags. Finally the Basques were awakened, because under the leadership of the stars Wilian Jose, Mikel Oyarzabal, Juanmi and Alvaro Odriozola they booked a resounding 5-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna, a direct competitor in the fight against relegation. “We needed this,” says a relieved Eusebio.

With a fourteenth place, Real Sociedad finally got some air again and actually managed to keep the zero again. Attacks the club from San Sebastian with tasters like Mikel Oyarzabal, Juanmi and of course club top scorer Willian Jose (eleven goals) easy, but in the back, the blue whites still sometimes drop a stitch. The recent sale of best defender Inigo Martinez to arch-rival Athletic Bilbao was therefore a hefty loss, although this did not have any fatal consequences for the weak Deportivo La Coruna. However, I fear that goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, who has already passed 36 times this season in 21 league matches, is going to get busy this season. An important role is reserved for former AZ and PSV defender Hector Moreno, who came over from AS Roma this winter and is likely to make his debut against Real Madrid.

PREDICTION: Both teams to score / YES @ 1.45