Espanyol midfielder Ivan De la Pena could be fit to face Real Madrid in their new stadium on Saturday.

They will be playing their first Primera Liga game at the new Cornell El Prat stadium in Barcelona, according to Sport.

De la Pena, who took over the captaincy after the premature death of Dani Jarque, has recently returned to full training, and his coach Mauricio Pochettino may have the Little Buddha fit for what will be a stern test at home to Madrid.

The 33-year-old missed Espanyol's trip to San Mames on the opening day of the season, due to the muscle strain in his right leg, and his absence was felt as they lost to Athletic Bilbao by a goal.

Every effort will be made to have the midfield general fit for Saturday's fixture, but as of yet there is no guarantee that he will feature.

Espanyol returned to training yesterday for a light workout after a two-day rest period, and this will be followed by a more rigorous session on Tuesday in preparation for Saturday.

De la Pena's recovery is being targetted specifically at leading his team out against Los Merengues, and he told Sport that he is hopeful of making it.

"I'm doing everything possible to play against Madrid. I must be cautious and see how it [the injury] evolves in the coming days, but I am hopeful," he said