Olympiacos Clash with Real Madrid: Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed

Real Madrid are looking to break their winless run when they take on Greek powerhouse Olympiacos in Champions League action on Wednesday.

The Spanish giants have struggled to secure a win in their previous three outings, beginning with a lackluster European loss to Liverpool and continuing with disappointing stalemates against Rayo Vallecano and Elche in domestic competition. Despite maintaining their position atop Spain's premier division, their Anfield setback has caused them to slip to seventh place in the Champions League standings.

Madrid will be eager for a strong response on Wednesday as pressure mounts in the Spanish capital, with the ongoing situation involving Vinícius Júnior and Xabi Alonso creating additional concerns. A triumph in Piraeus would help silence some of the external criticism.

Olympiacos present a manageable challenge given their European campaign this season, having managed just two draws and suffered two losses in their group stage matches. They endured a heavy defeat against Barcelona, were outplayed by Arsenal, and were held to draws by both Pafos and PSV Eindhoven.

Here is Sports Illustrated's comprehensive preview of the Champions League encounter.

What Time Does Olympiacos vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?

Olympiacos vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)

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Olympiacos Team News

José Luis Mendilibar, who dedicated nearly three decades to coaching in Spain, will be missing Alexandros Paschalakis, Bruno Onyemaechi and Konstantinos Angelakis for Madrid's visit—a team he has managed to defeat just twice as a manager in 25 previous encounters.

The 64-year-old will depend heavily on Ayoub El Kaabi's scoring ability if Olympiacos hope to achieve a stunning upset, with the Moroccan striker having netted 71 goals since arriving at the Greek club in 2023. Ten of those goals have come during the current campaign.

Olympiacos Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid

Olympiacos predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Hezze, García; Martins, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi.

Real Madrid Team News

Madrid will be missing several key players for their journey to Athens, with Thibaut Courtois withdrawing from the traveling squad due to sickness. This will lead to Andriy Lunin making his first appearance of the campaign as the backup goalkeeper.

Dean Huijsen is also unavailable for Madrid, adding to an extensive list of defensive casualties, with the Spanish defender missing from Tuesday's training session and excluded from the squad. He joins fellow center-backs Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba on the injury list, leaving Raúl Asencio as the club's sole conventional senior defensive option.

Aurélien Tchouaméni has been sidelined in recent fixtures but will make the trip to Greece, possibly returning to the starting eleven in a center-back role.

Vinícius, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde are all expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested against Elche.

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Olympiacos

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Olympiacos (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Tchouaméni, Asencio, Carreras; Güler, Valverde, Camavinga; Bellingham; Vinícius, Mbappé.

Olympiacos vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction

Madrid's current run of results is concerning, but they should bounce back with a victory on Wednesday. Olympiacos remain without a European win this season and have suffered heavy defeats against the two quality opponents they've encountered similar to Los Blancos.

Injury problems in defense will give the home team confidence of finding the net, but Alonso's return to a more recognizable starting eleven should produce a favorable outcome. Madrid possess too much offensive quality.

Prediction: Olympiacos 1–2 Real Madrid