MADRID, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid look to recover their form when they take on CSKA Moscow in the Luzhniki Stadium on Tuesday night.
Madrid travel to Russia after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday night and a 3-0 defeat away to Sevilla. Coach Julen Lopetegui must be worried that his side has scored just one goal in their last three league games.
To add to Lopetegui's problems, Gareth Bale injured after suffering a groin strain at the weekend, while Isco is out after an appendix operation and Marcelo has a calf problem.
Club captain Sergio Ramos has also been left at home in Madrid and with no news about a possible injury his absence is probably to allow him to rest after playing every minute of every game so far this campaign, although it means Lopetegui will have some defensive reorganizing to do.
Nacho Fernandez will continue at left back to cover for Marcelo, while either Jesus Vallejo or Sergio Reguilon (who has yet to make his first team debut) will partner Rafael Varene in the heart of the Madrid defense.
Lopetegui also has to decide whether to continue with a four-man midfield, which worked well after Bale was substituted on Saturday and give Dani Ceballos a place in his starting 11, or to bring Mariano Diaz into a 4-3-3 formation with Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema.
Benzema's form in recent games is a cause for concern and Lopetegui could also opt for giving him a rest and handing Mariano his first start since returning to the club.
Valencia are also in action on Tuesday as they travel to face Manchester United in Old Trafford.
Following their opening round defeat to Juventus, Valencia can't afford another defeat, but travel to England with United in crisis after a poor set of results and stories circulating over the poor relationship Jose Mourinho has with several members of his squad, especially French international midfielder Paul Pogba.
Valencia claimed their first win of the season on Saturday when they defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 in San Sebastian and if they are able to open the scoring, coach Marcelino Garcia Toral will believe they have an excellent chance of a vital win.
