La Liga: Real Madrid v Osasuna Preview

Osasuna travel to Real Madrid in hope more than expectation, having failed to record a win in any of their last six away La Liga fixtures, whilst their regularly vaunted opponents boast an enviable 100% home record at the formidable Santiago Bernabeu this season.

Frighteningly for José Luis Mendilíbar's side, Los Merengues are currently averaging 4.25 goals every home game and when you factor in La Liga's most porous away defence, having conceded 14 goals in just five games, all the signs point to a comfortable home win for the league leaders.

Jose Mourinho is likely to restore the free scoring Gonzalo Higuain to his starting line-up, but faces a selection headache due to the injuries sustained to Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao. The latter is rated as doubtful for the Sunday evening kick-off and Marcelo has already been ruled out of the game. Should the aforementioned former Benfica star miss the match, the self-proclaimed 'Special One' will reportedly play Lassana Diarra and right-back and Alvaro Arbeloa will deputise for the injured Coentrao.

"It is safe to say Marcelo and Kaka will not play on Sunday and we do not know yet if Coentrao will be fit, but we will not cry because of injuries," Mourinho told Spanish publication A BOLA.

Real Madrid will be hoping Cristiano Ronaldo continues his stunning goal scoring form having notched up his 100<sup>th goal for the club following a brace against Lyon in the Champions League in midweek.

The former Manchester United winger has now scored a staggering 100 goals in just 105 games since moving to Spain in 2009, and although Mourinho was eager to stress the collective strengths of his richly assembled squad, the ex-Chelsea coach could only marvel at the 26-year-old's extraordinary efforts.

"It is an incredible record," the Portuguese told Sky Sports.

"To score 100 goals for Real is tremendous, especially scoring two goals here in Lyon where we have a negative record historically."

He concluded: "We look for team results and not for individual [records],"

Despite their shaky away form, Osasuna are on a three match unbeaten run, which included a well-earned victory against the division's surprise package Levante. As if the task facing Mendilíbar was not daunting enough, the 50-year-old must negotiate a mounting injury crisis.

In addition to being without the suspended Alvaro Cejudo, six first team players are currently injured, most notably central defender Sergio Rodriguez.

In the aftermath of their 2-0 victory over Levante last week, Mendilíbar indicated he would give his players a few days off to recover ahead of their game at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

"It will be difficult," he said. "We are going to have a break and will begin to prepare for the Bernabéu from midweek.

"I hope that at 12am the Real players will still be asleep,"