Hello everyone and welcome to this Marca in English live blog as Real Madrid welcome Almeria to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for their LaLiga Santander clash.
Real Madrid are in need of a solid performance and a positive result on home soil against Almeria on Saturday after losing 4-2 away at Girona back on Tuesday.
Los Blancos are second in the LaLiga Santander table, trailing leaders Barcelona by 11 points with seven games to go.
Girona put an end to their four-game winning streak across all competitions, as Real Madrid had previously recorded 2-0 victories over Chelsea (twice), Cadiz and Celta Vigo.
They will host an Almeria side that secured a huge 2-1 win away at relegation rivals Getafe in their bid to secure safety. The Andalusian side currently sit 15th in the table, just two points above relegation zone.
Real Madrid vs Almeria LIVE - Latest updates
Match ends, Real Madrid 4, Almeria 2.
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 4, Almeria 2.
Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Eduardo Camavinga.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Álex Centelles.
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gonzalo Melero (Almeria).
Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
Offside, Real Madrid. Eduardo Camavinga tries a through ball, but Lucas Vázquez is caught offside.
Benzema's day just so nearly got even better. You wouldn't begrudge him a fourth goal today...
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Eduardo Camavinga.
Attempt saved. Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
Houboulang Mendes (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dani Carvajal.
Foul by Lucas Robertone (Almeria).
Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Carvajal replaces Vinícius Júnior.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
VAR Checking: Real Madrid Penalty.
Penalty Real Madrid. Karim Benzema draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Fernando Martínez (Almeria) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt saved. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) left footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez.
Substitution, Almeria. Álex Centelles replaces Samú Costa.
Substitution, Almeria. Gonzalo Melero replaces Sergio Akieme.
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
Lucas Robertone (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio replaces Rodrygo.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Real Madrid. Nacho replaces Toni Kroos.
Delay in match because of an injury Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid).
Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Houboulang Mendes (Almeria).
Offside, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
Offside, Real Madrid. Vinícius Júnior tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
Houboulang Mendes (Almeria) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Houboulang Mendes (Almeria).
Lázaro (Almeria) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lázaro (Almeria).
Attempt saved. Rodrygo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Karim Benzema.
Substitution, Almeria. Luis Suárez replaces Largie Ramazani.
Foul by Largie Ramazani (Almeria).
Éder Militão (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez tries a through ball, but Rodrygo is caught offside.
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
Samú Costa (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Almeria have again cut the gap to just two goals. Surely they can't mount an astonishing comeback, can they?
Goal! Real Madrid 4, Almeria 2. Lucas Robertone (Almeria) header from the centre of the box.
Attempt missed. Lucas Robertone (Almeria) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Chumi.
Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
Francisco Portillo (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid).
Lucas Robertone (Almeria) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Chumi.
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Arnau Puigmal (Almeria).
Foul by Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid).
Samú Costa (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by César de la Hoz.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Houboulang Mendes.
Attempt missed. Largie Ramazani (Almeria) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left misses to the left. Assisted by Lázaro.
Attempt blocked. Samú Costa (Almeria) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid).
Samú Costa (Almeria) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal! Real Madrid 4, Almeria 1. Rodrygo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box.
Second Half begins Real Madrid 3, Almeria 1.
What a day this has been for Karim Benzema, by the way. He has now hit 352 goals for Real Madrid and is going after Lewandowski for the Pichichi. Only a certain Portuguese has more Los Blancos goals than Benz now.
First Half ends, Real Madrid 3, Almeria 1.
Goal! Real Madrid 3, Almeria 1. Lázaro (Almeria) right footed shot from very close range.
Foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid).
Lázaro (Almeria) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal! Real Madrid 3, Almeria 0. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) converts the penalty with a right footed shot.
Penalty Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Largie Ramazani (Almeria) after a foul in the penalty area.
Foul by Samú Costa (Almeria).
Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Lázaro (Almeria) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Francisco Portillo.
Attempt missed. Francisco Portillo (Almeria) right footed shot from outside the box.
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Houboulang Mendes (Almeria).
Hand ball by Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid).
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Houboulang Mendes (Almeria).
Offside, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez tries a through ball, but Antonio Rüdiger is caught offside.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Rodrigo Ely.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Largie Ramazani.
Attempt missed. Largie Ramazani (Almeria) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Francisco Portillo with a cross.
Offside, Real Madrid. Eduardo Camavinga tries a through ball, but Vinícius Júnior is caught offside.
Offside, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez tries a through ball, but Rodrygo is caught offside.
Well, Benzema is getting the goals tonight but it's the Brazilians putting on a show for Real Madrid. Rodrygo joins Vinicius in carving out a goal for the no.9 with brilliant play
Offside, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez tries a through ball, but Vinícius Júnior is caught offside.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Sergio Akieme (Almeria).
Goal! Real Madrid 2, Almeria 0. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
Arnau Puigmal (Almeria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Samú Costa (Almeria).
Attempt saved. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Toni Kroos with a cross.
Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Largie Ramazani (Almeria).
Attempt blocked. Rodrygo (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Samú Costa (Almeria).
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Houboulang Mendes (Almeria).
Attempt saved. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Vinícius Júnior.
Attempt missed. Largie Ramazani (Almeria) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Los Blancos have the lead! Benzema got his name on the scoresheet, but the brilliant Vini is to thank for that.
Goal! Real Madrid 1, Almeria 0. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) left footed shot from very close range.
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Chumi.
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lázaro (Almeria).
First Half begins.
Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Lucas, Rudiger, Militao, Camavinga; Kroos, Tchouameni, Ceballos; Rodrygo, Vinicius, Benzema.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Real Madrid vs Almeria predicted line-ups
Carlo Ancelotti will have neither Ferland Mendy nor David Alaba at his disposal due to injuries. Thibaut Courtois and Marco Asensio are both doubtful, while Luka Modric is not expected to feature.
As for Almeria, starting centre-back Srdjan Babic will miss out due to suspension, with El Bilal Toure remaining sidelined through injury.
Real Madrid's predicted line-up (4-3-3): Andriy Lunin; Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho Fernandez; Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos; Rodrygo Goes, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
Almeria's predicted line-up (4-3-3): Fernando Martinez; Alejandro Pozo, Rodrigo Ely, Chumi, Sergio Akieme; Gonzalo Melero, Samu Costa, Lucas Robertone; Leo Baptistao, Luis Suarez, Adrian Embarba.
Real Madrid vs Almeria: When does it start?
This Saturday's LaLiga Santander duel between Real Madrid and Almeria kicks off at 18:30 CEST, which is the local time in Spain.
That makes the game a 17:30 BST kick-off in the United Kingdom. Real Madrid fans in the United States will find the game starting at 12:30 ET and 09:30 PT.
Real Madrid vs Almeria: Where to watch it?
For those living in the USA, you can watch the LaLiga Santander fixture between Real Madrid and Almeria on ESPN+. Meanwhile, for those living in the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on LaLigaTV.
A comprehensive win for Real Madrid despite conceding twice. Benzema was unstoppable, and they can dream big with him in this kind of form.