Spotlight firmly on under-pressure Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane ahead of La Liga clash with Sevilla

Poor run of results sees Frenchman fighting to stay in job

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane gives instructions to substitutes Mariano, Isco and Vinicius Junior during the Champions League defeat against against Shakhtar Donetsk. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk's Dentinho scores their first goal against Real Madrid. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk manager Luis Castro celebrates with his players at the end of the match after beating Real Madrid. Reuters

Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez tackles Shakhtar Donetsk's Manor Soloman. Reuters

Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy talk on the touchline. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk's Manor Soloman celebrates scoring the second goal with Mateus Tete. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk's Taison takes on Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane. Reuters

Real Madrid forward Lucas Vazquez goes to catch the ball as Zinedine Zidane watches on from the touchline. AFP

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Dentinho runs with the ball during the Champions League match against Real Madrid. AFP

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Taras Stepanenko heads the ball during the Champions League match against Real Madrid. AFP

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois lays on the ground as Shakhtar Donetsk's Marlos celebrates the first goal scored by Dentinho. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk forward Tete tracks Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez. AFP

Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy attempts to control the ball under pressure from Shakhtar Donetsk's Dodo. Reuters

Shakhtar Donetsk's Vitao in action with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. Reuters

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane takes his side to Sevilla in La Liga this weekend days with speculation mounting that his position is under threat a disastrous recent run.

Madrid have won just once in La Liga since October and also lost at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions on Tuesday and must beat Borussia Monchengladbach next week to advance into the knockout stages.

Real have drawn with in-form Villarreal, were edged out at lowly Alaves and were hammered at Valencia since their last league victory leaving the champions in fourth place, seven points off leaders Real Sociedad.

"I have the strength needed to turn the situation around and I am going to give everything to do that, so are the players," Zidane said after the loss in Ukraine.

"We have to lift ourselves up and think about the next match. We're on a bad run, there's nothing else to do other than think about the next match and go ahead ... In difficult moments, you have to show character.

Local press have linked former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Madrid forward Raul forward to the Frenchman's job.

According to newspaper AS captain Sergio Ramos called a squad meeting this week, with Zidane absent, telling team-mates to give "an extra push until the end of the year."

"This is Real Madrid, gentlemen. Together, we've come out of worse," Ramos reportedly said ahead of the trip to Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan where they have lost on six of their last eight visits.

Saturday's hosts went unbeaten in the Spanish top-flight throughout November after a sluggish start to the season under former Real manager Julen Lopetegui.

Newly-promoted Cadiz have already beaten Real Madrid this season, and now they are dreaming of getting the better of Barcelona.

The Catalans go to the Ramon de Carranza stadium with Lionel Messi set to return after being rested against Ferencvaros in the Champions League, although all the talk has still been about the Argentine with Neymar expressing his desire for the duo to play together again.

Right now that seems unlikely to be in Barcelona, who have struggled in La Liga since Messi was forced to stay.

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Gallery: Barcelona 4 Osasuna 0

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They are seventh, 10 points behind leaders Sociedad and one behind Cadiz, albeit with two games in hand.

However, Cadiz have struggled to build on that win in Madrid and Barca may be facing them at the right time.

Spain playmaker Suso is set to return for the Europa League champions after being sidelined for six weeks with a muscle injury.

The Portugal attacker Joao Felix is on the verge of equalling his last season's goal tally for Atletico Madrid, when he hit nine.

His €126 million ($148m) fee, second for a teenager behind the amount Paris Saint-Germain paid for Kylian Mbappe, put pressure on Felix and he failed to settle in his first campaign in the Spanish capital missing 13 games through injury.

On Saturday, Atletico host 17th-place Real Valladolid and a win could send them top temporarily with Sociedad heading to Alaves a day later.