MADRID, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid fly to Rome on Monday looking to return to winning ways against Roma in the Champions League following the disastrous performance which saw them lose 3-0 away to Eibar on Saturday.
It is just over two months ago that Madrid, then coached by Julen Lopetegui, beat the Italian side 3-0 in their first meeting in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Isco, Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz all scored in Madrid's best performance of the season and one which at the time led fans and press to believe that there was life after Cristiano Ronaldo and that Lopetegui was building an effective team.
Six weeks later Lopetegui has been sacked and former B-team coach Santiago Solari is in charge of the team which will take to the pitch in the Olympic Stadium in need of a confidence boost.
Solari has several problems to solve in the wake of the defeat in Eibar: for a start he needs to restore order and confidence to the defense, where Dani Carvajal returns for the injured Alvaro Odriozola.
Rafael Varane is badly out of form, as shown by the fact Madrid have lost 6 of the last 7 games he has played in, but Nacho Fernandez is sidelined with a knee injury until the end of the year, while youngster Sergio Reguilon has a muscle problem.
Casemiro's absence through injury was a big loss in Eibar as neither Luka Modric or Tony Kroos can play the holding role and Solari seems to lack confidence in Marcos Llorente. Meanwhile Isco has yet to start a game since the Argentinean took over amid rumors that he wants to leave the club.
Finally Gareth Bale has been looking short of form, confidence and drive with the Welsh international becoming the focus for most of the criticism directed at the team.
Solari will hope that Saturday's defeat was a one-off and that the Olympic Stadium against a rival that is also struggling for form will see Real Madrid return to winning ways,
Both Real Madrid and Roma should make the last 16 of the Champions League without too many problems, but, another defeat and another performance similar to that in Eibar would bring Solari's honeymoon period to an abrupt end.
