Real Madrid head into the Espanyol match without several high-profile players, with Kylian Mbappe and Dani Carvajal among those continuing recovery work ahead of the fixture.
Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, Rodrygo and Arda Guler also remained unavailable according to the club's latest training updates before the game.
Even with those absences, the squad still includes major names such as Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde and Antonio Rudiger, alongside a group of younger players given another opportunity.
The situation forces Madrid to balance league demands with physical management as the club approaches a crucial stretch at the end of the season.