Cristiano Ronaldo rested for Real Madrid game with Cultural Leonesa ahead of El Clasico

Zinedine Zidane has rested Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas for the Copa del Rey last 32 dead rubber encounter with Cultural Leonesa in order to have his six Real Madrid key stars fresh for the long-awaited weekend trip to Barcelona.

Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, Alvaro Morata, Danilo and Fabio Contrao will also miss the game due to different injuries but the Real Madrid boss assured that Los Blancos will make every effort to beat the Second Division B team despite having already beat them 7-1 in the reverse encounter earlier in October.

"In the first-leg against Cultural we did a very good job. Now we have to play the second-leg and we have to do well. Tomorrow, with all the fans who come to support us, we will try to win the game and play well, as always," Zidane said.

"We are prepared for tomorrow's match. It is true that we won 7-1 away and it is a very good result, but we have to respect the opponent and the fans who will come to support us and try to play well. Saturday is another game and we will prepare well."

Ronaldo, Benzema, Modric, Marcelo, Ramos and Navas all played a part during the La Liga weekend victory over Sporting Gijon and are expected to start in the visit to the Nou Camp on Saturday (3 December).

Meanwhile, Casemiro may also have a chance to make the line-up at Barcelona as the Brazilian is available again and will play against Cultural after more than two months on the sidelines.

Asked about whether Casemiro will be 100% fit to start in the first El Clasico of the season, Zidane said: "Tomorrow he will get some minutes, that's the idea. It will be his first match and we will see on Saturday what happens. He's back with the group and he's ready to play."

Raphael Varane is also available again after missing the weekend win over Sporting while Zidane is also expected to give a chance to some fringe players like James Rodriguez to prove themselves against Cultural.

"James will be there, just like the others. The idea is that we have got players available who will get minutes. We will rest Cristiano," Zidane said while confirming that young players from the second team like Martin Odegaard, Alvaro Tejeron and his son Enzo could also play a part on Wednesday night. "Odegaard, Enzo and Tejero They're going to be with us tomorrow, the three of them. Maybe one more, but I imagine that all three of them will be with us."