As Real Madrid look ahead to their biggest domestic game of the season, they’ll do so with some trepidation.
Although Barcelona won’t faze them by any means, Los Blancos will have wanted all of their best exponents to play some part.
Dani Carvajal was ruled out some time ago, there are doubts over Sergio Ramos, and now Zinedine Zidane has been hit with the news that Eden Hazard has been ruled out for at least another month.
According to Mundo Deportivo, an expected return in early November is out of the question, with November 21/22, after the next international break, being looked at now as a more achievable timeline.
Since signing for Real from Chelsea, the Belgian has rarely had the opportunity to produce his best work.
His career at the Santiago Bernabeu has been a case of two steps forward and one back, and there appears to be a concern within the club that Hazard may not get back to the player he was.
The player that Real Madrid paid a significant sum for too.
Karim Benzema will lead the line at the Camp Nou on Saturday, and Zidane will arguably wait until the last possible moment before naming his squad.
After a devastating home loss against Cadiz, a number of players need to produce in training this week if they want to retain their place.