Mbappe Poised to Unleash Goal-Scoring Fury as Real Madrid Face Girona
Real Madrid head back to league competition this Sunday following an exhilarating match in Piraeus.
Los Blancos participated in a spectacular seven-goal encounter on Wednesday night during their visit to Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, claiming victory in a wild 4–3 match thanks to Kylian Mbappé's exceptional performance. The French striker netted all four goals for Madrid, breaking a three-game winless run.
Carlo Ancelotti's squad will look to capitalize on their European success when they travel to face Girona in La Liga this weekend, with Los Blancos remaining level on points with rivals Barcelona at the top of the table. Following consecutive league draws, Madrid will anticipate claiming all three points against a defensively vulnerable opponent.
Here's the potential Madrid formation at Estadi Montilivi.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Girona (4-3-1-2)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—Courtois was absent from the Olympiacos encounter due to sickness as Andriy Lunin allowed three goals in his season debut. The Belgian goalkeeper should return on Sunday hoping for a peaceful match.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—The fullback's defensive weaknesses have been evident in the Spanish capital, though his exceptional distribution has also been consistently displayed for Madrid supporters. Trent's contrasting qualities make him a fascinating wildcard.
CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni—The French midfielder was deployed in his usual position during his comeback against Olympiacos, but may be shifted to central defense on Sunday considering Madrid's ongoing injury crisis at the back.
CB: Raúl Asencio—The academy graduate hasn't shown outstanding form this campaign, but could be Madrid's sole available senior center-half for the Girona fixture.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—Carreras appeared uncomfortable playing centrally against Elche and Olympiacos and should return to his natural left-back position as Ferland Mendy is rested from the lineup.
CM: Arda Güler—Güler delivered another inventive performance against Olympiacos, setting up Mbappé's second goal and consistently troubling the Greek defense during his 60-minute appearance.
CM: Federico Valverde—Valverde played on the right wing in midweek but could return to his customary central role. The adaptable Uruguayan will provide intensity and determination in the middle of the park.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga—The French midfielder will be fresh for the Catalonian trip having only featured in the opening 45 minutes of the Athens victory. Camavinga proved valuable in the center, contributing an assist while protecting the defense admirably.
AM: Jude Bellingham—A minor fitness concern limited him to a substitute appearance on Wednesday, but the outstanding English midfielder will return to the starting eleven on Sunday. He rescued Madrid at Elche the previous weekend.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Mbappé had gone three matches without scoring for Madrid but broke his goal drought spectacularly against Olympiacos. He registered the second-fastest hat-trick in Champions League records and will relish facing Girona's shaky defensive unit.
ST: Vinicius Junior—Upon his return to the starting lineup midweek, the Brazilian produced a magnificent performance worthy of his reputation. He provided two assists for Mbappé's goals and constantly threatened the opposition defense.
