Sergio Ramos has shaken off a thigh injury in time for Real Madrid’s trip to Valencia this afternoon.
The defender was a doubt heading into Los Blancos’ first La Liga encounter of 2015, but he keeps his place at centre-back, despite playing through the pain barrier in last month’s Club World Cup final.
Elsewhere, Isco is preferred to Asier Illarramendi in central midfield, while the ‘BBC’ of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo all feature from the offset in attack.
Valencia, meanwhile, hand a debut to Enzo Perez, fresh from completing his €25m transfer earlier in the week.
Valencia: Alves; Barragan, Mustafi, Otamendi, Orban, Piatti; Parejo, Gomes, Perez; Negredo, Alcacer
Subs: Yoel, Vezo, Feghouli, De Paul, Gil, Gaya, Rodrigo
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Isco, James; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo
Subs: Navas, Varane, Arbeloa, Khedira, Illarramendi, Jese, Chicharito
Referee: Jesus Gil
