Real Madrid will on Thursday host Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu in their final La Liga game before the FIFA World Cup break.

The Los Blancos need a win quickly as they sit five points behind Barcelona, who took advantage of the team’s 3-2 loss to Rayo Vallecano on Monday. After Monday’s results, Barcelona went on to get a 2:1 victory against Osasuna on Tuesday despite the Blaugrana having two red cards in the game.

Carlo Ancelotti’s son will not hope to get back on track and get their first victory since the 22nd of October when the team beat Sevilla 3-1.

Since then, Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw by Girona and lost to Rayo Vallecano 3-2.

A win on Thursday will not put them level on points with Barcelona on the La Liga table, but it will reduce the gap deficit to two points.

In other games in La Liga on Thursday, Real Betis will face Valencia, and Rayo Vallecano will welcome Celta Vigo.

The weekend in Spain will see Copa Del Rey matches which will be the final local games before the World Cup break.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a first-half goal from Leo Baptistao ensured a 1-0 victory for ten-man Almeria against Girona. Almeria moved two points ahead of Getafe, sitting 14th on the table, one place ahead of their visitors.

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad beat nine-man Sevilla 2-1. All three goals and two red cards came in a crazy first half.

Alex Sorloth and Brais Mendez put the visitors in front, although Rafa Mir halved the deficit after Ivan Rakitic and Tanguy Nianzou were red-carded in the first half.

Villarreal beat Espanyol 1-0, and Mallorca pipped Atletico Madrid.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu