It's been a few weeks for Florentino Perez.
A battered and bruised ego in the wake of the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony is starting to recover in time for Christmas. After one of his superstars, Vinicius Junior, received the FIFA Men's Player of the Year awardReal Madrid were crowned world champions for the ninth time in Qatar and can still end the calendar year at the top of the La Liga table.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have been far from perfect this season, but there have been signs of Madrid's stellar attack clicking in time for the new season.
Madrid welcomed Kylian Mbappe back into their fold Triumph in the final of the Intercontinental Cupbut Ancelotti will have to do more reshuffle at the top for the visit of Sevilla on Sunday. Here's how Madrid could line up for their final showdown in 2024.
GK: Thibaut Courtois – The Belgian has been a busy man this season as a result of Madrid's defensive frailties and he had to work on his clean sheet in Doha on Wednesday. He is a clash between the sticks.
RB: Lucas Vazquez – Ancelotti relied on the veteran after Dani Carvajal succumbed to an ACL tear. Real Madrid do not have many options at right-back, although Raul Asencio could be used there during the second half of the season.
CB: Aurelien Tchouameni – Dare I say it, Tchouameni has looked more comfortable at the heart of Madrid's defense than at the base of their midfield.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – A mainstay last season and nothing has changed this season. The German is a key presence in Madrid's defense and he will provide his left-back plenty of support against Sevilla's top scorer Dodi Lukebakio.
LB: Fran Garcia – Ferland Mendy could return to the matchday squad on Sunday, but Ancelotti is likely to stick with Garca in his XI and give Mendy minutes off the bench.
CM: Edward Camavinga – Camavinga is back from injury and boasts a major role in Madrid's midfield during the second half of the season. He should keep his place in the side from Wednesday.
CM: Federico Valverde – The lanky Uruguayan hasn't had the best of seasons, but he remains an instrumental figure in the engine room. Ancelotti recently confirmed that Valverde will not be used at right-back, so he will operate from a central midfield position on Sunday while providing support to Vazquez.
CM: Jude Bellingham – The England international endured a fairly quiet start to the season but has caught fire over the last month or so. BellinghamHis goal streak came to an end on Wednesday.
RW: Arda Guler – Vinicius Junior's suspension opens the door for Guler to earn a rare start. Brahim Diaz has shared the Turkish star's minutes this season, but Guler may get the nod here as he recorded a pair of assists during the season. controversial 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano last weekend.
ST: Kylian Mbappe – The Frenchman quickly recovered from a muscle injury and was on the scoresheet against Pachuca. Mbappe has looked sharp in recent performances, and he'll be looking to end the year with a bang.
LW: Rodrygo – Rodrygo so often reaches another level in the absence of Vini Jr. He was Madrid's star this time last year while his compatriot was struggling with injury and much of his good work came while operating from the left.