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Real Madrid's mission to dethrone Barcelona and reclaim the La Liga crown kicks off in hostile territory, as they travel to face Espanyol in Catalonia this Saturday night.
José Mourinho is back for another shot at glory, having previously ended a period of Barça supremacy back in 2012. "The Special One" may not be the manager he once was, yet Florentino Pérez believes the Portuguese tactician, who hasn't won a league title in 11 years, is the ideal figure to guide Los Blancos back to the top.
Mourinho certainly has world-class talent at his fingertips, but getting those players to gel as a cohesive unit will likely be his greatest test. Nevertheless, fans are buzzing about the club's summer transfer activity and what could be accomplished in 2026–27 following two trophy-free campaigns.
Here's the lineup Mourinho could field for Real Madrid's La Liga season opener.
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Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Espanyol
GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian shot-stopper has recovered from an injury picked up at the World Cup and is set to take his place between the sticks for Madrid on Saturday.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Despite a underwhelming debut campaign, expectations are building for Alexander-Arnold heading into his second year. While Denzel Dumfries's signing brings added competition, the Englishman no longer has the shadow of Dani Carvajal hanging over him.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger—The German defender is one of a kind, though there were signs of regression last season, and he's unlikely to be a regular starter for Madrid when the squad is fully fit. Free agent signing Ibrahima Konaté is tipped to be the long-term first choice, but he had limited preseason minutes.
CB: Dean Huijsen—Watching Spain hoist the World Cup trophy must have been painful for the young defender, who appeared set to feature in Luis de la Fuente's squad despite a mixed first season in the capital. Huijsen must be heading into 2026–27 with a fierce sense of determination.
LB: Marc Cucurella—The new left back picked up some minutes off the bench against Schalke last week, and given the limited alternatives at that position, Mourinho may well be tempted to throw Cucurella straight into the starting XI.
CM: Federico Valverde—The Uruguayan returned to Madrid for the start of preseason following a disappointing World Cup, and although Valverde can be deployed in a variety of roles, Aurélien Tchouaméni's injury absence means he'll likely slot into midfield from the start.
CM: Bernardo Silva—Rodri may not have followed Silva to Madrid, but that hasn't dampened the Portuguese midfielder's enthusiasm about joining the club. He accumulated valuable minutes during preseason and should be primed to start on Saturday.
RW: Brahim Díaz—Fans will need to be patient with Yan Diomande, who became the most expensive African footballer in history this summer. Mourinho will ease him in gradually, leaving Brahim — who netted a brilliant goal in the preseason victory over Deportivo de A Coruña — to continue on the right flank.
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AM: Arda Güler—When asked about players who could help offset Rodri's move to Barcelona, Mourinho was quick to mention Güler, who is expected to operate in a more advanced role but clearly has the ability to develop into a midfield orchestrator.
LW: Vinícius Júnior—After signing a lucrative contract extension following Brazil's worst World Cup showing since 1990, Vini Jr will be eager to propel Madrid back to the pinnacle of Spanish and European football. Mourinho's dynamic with the unpredictable winger promises to be one of the season's most compelling storylines.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Mourinho is bullish about how Madrid's attacking talents will complement one another, and Mbappé has vowed to deliver a spectacular season in the capital. The Frenchman is yet to win a major honour since his arrival, though he has claimed consecutive Pichichi Trophies.
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James Cormack is a writer for SI FC. Opting against a football coaching undergraduate degree at the last minute, he instead decided to take on a six-month internship with 90min in 2019 and hasn't looked back. Cormack's current SEO focus means he tends to venture to the land of match previews and predicted lineups, but he also has a wealth of experience in news and feature writing. A passion for soccer's history and the European game often takes his work beyond the familiarity of the Premier League, but it's with Tottenham Hotspur where his strongest allegiance lies.