James struggling with soleus injury, Asensio set to start
It will be the fifth games that James Rodriguez has missed this season due to injury and it would be Asensio's 11th game in the starting eleven.
James Rodriguez has been left out of Zinedine Zidane's squad to play against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey on Thursday night. The Colombian injured his soleus muscle, which is located just below the calf, before the Eibar game and Zidane is making sure to protect James.
The Real Madrid manager has been known to take a zero risk approach when dealing with injuries and given the result from the first game (3-0), Zidane feels like risking the player would be needless.
It will be James' fifth absence through injury this season. Isco's absence means Marco Asensio will be given the chance to impress. Asensio has taken the opportunities afforded to him this season and has scored six goals in 19 games along with assist.