Mbappe Hunts Down Legendary Ronaldo Record as Real Madrid Clash with Sevilla
Real Madrid aims to finish the year strong by securing three crucial La Liga points in their home match against Sevilla.
Carlo Ancelotti's squad is gradually finding their rhythm again following a difficult period that allowed Barcelona to take the lead in La Liga standings. Los Blancos managed a thrilling comeback win against Alavés last weekend before eliminating Talavera in the Copa del Rey's round of 32 just three days afterward.
The 15-time European champions have the opportunity to achieve three consecutive victories for the first time in almost seven weeks with a triumph at the Santiago Bernabéu before the winter break. Any mistake could potentially end Ancelotti's tenure under mounting pressure while allowing Barcelona to further extend their advantage at the summit.
Real will be missing the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, along with suspended players Álvaro Carreras and Endrick. Brahim Díaz is representing Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ferland Mendy, David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga undergo final fitness assessments before kickoff.
Here's how Ancelotti might set up his starting eleven.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Sevilla (4-2-3-1)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian goalkeeper is determined to record his first clean sheet of December. Having familiar defensive partners back will certainly aid his mission.
RB: Federico Valverde—The versatile midfielder returns to his right-back position following a well-deserved midweek break.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger—The German defender faces the challenge of containing former Arsenal forward Alexis Sánchez on Saturday evening.
CB: Dean Huijsen—Following his complete 90-minute performance against Talavera, the fully fit Huijsen reclaims his spot in Ancelotti's starting lineup. Los Blancos have sorely missed the defender's distribution from deep and his aerial threat during set pieces.
LB: Fran García—Returning from his suspension, the Spanish fullback earns the starting role at left-back while Carreras completes the second match of his two-game suspension.
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—Despite recording his maiden assist of the campaign on Wednesday, the French midfielder's primary focus against Sevilla will be defensive duties.
CM: Arda Güler—While waiting for Camavinga to reach full fitness for starting duties, Güler maintains his partnership with Tchouaméni. The 20-year-old Turkish talent hopes to rediscover the exceptional understanding he developed with Mbappé during the season's early stages.
AM: Jude Bellingham—The burden of orchestrating Real Madrid's most threatening attacking moves rests with the English midfielder, who ranks third in team assists despite missing considerable time through injury.
RW: Rodrygo—With Franco Mastantuono returning from his injury layoff, the Brazilian winger must continue delivering strong performances to secure his restored position on the right flank.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—The French striker requires just two additional goals to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals scored in a calendar year while wearing Real Madrid colors. Mbappé has already netted 58 times throughout 2025.
LW: Vinicius Junior—Currently enduring a 13-match goal drought, the Brazilian winger would relish nothing more than concluding the year with a memorable performance.
