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Old problems resurfaced for Real Madrid, but José Mourinho's second stint at the club began on a positive note with a victory on Saturday.
Carlos Espí's last-gasp 90th-minute goal sealed a somewhat unconvincing 2–1 triumph for Los Blancos, who were repeatedly threatened by Espanyol's counter-attacking play while the scores were level. Nevertheless, Madrid fans were treated to glimpses of their revamped galácticos squad in small doses, as Mourinho carefully managed his player rotation following a busy World Cup summer.
The Portuguese tactician now turns his attention to his Bernabéu return, with Madrid set to host Real Sociedad in their home opener on Wednesday.
Here's who Mourinho could field for Real Madrid's first home fixture of the La Liga campaign.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Real Sociedad
GK: Thibaut Courtois—Madrid's first-choice keeper heaped praise on the under-the-radar Espí following Saturday's match-winning cameo, describing the young Spanish forward as a "beast." Should Kylian Mbappé be feeling the pressure?
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Mourinho is expected to rotate between Alexander-Arnold and new signing Denzel Dumfries early in the season until a clear starter emerges. The Englishman's place on the bench came as a surprise at the weekend, given his solid preseason performances.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Konaté was ready to start in Madrid's season opener and looks set to retain his place at the center of the backline. Antonio Rüdiger's opportunities appear limited this campaign, particularly once Éder Militão recovers from his injury.
CB: Dean Huijsen—The ex-Bournemouth defender endured a tough debut, suffering a cut above his eye that briefly forced him off in the opening half. Huijsen's distribution stood out, however, helping Madrid build from the back and advance the ball effectively up the pitch.
LB: Marc Cucurella—Having come on as a substitute on Saturday, the World Cup winner should be primed to earn his first start of the season.
CM: Federico Valverde—With Aurélien Tchouaméni still out through injury, Federico Valverde will once again anchor Real Madrid's midfield during the midweek fixture.
CM: Bernardo Silva—It wasn't the most impressive of debuts for the industrious midfielder, who was perhaps lucky to remain on the pitch as long as he did before being substituted in the 79th minute. That said, the former Manchester City mainstay will have the opportunity to make his mark in front of the home crowd.
RW: Arda Güler—Jude Bellingham's inclusion pushed Güler out to the right flank, though he was still able to drift infield with Denzel Dumfries bombing forward on the overlap. His positioning may change with a different right back profile behind him.
AM: Jude Bellingham—Bellingham was the last of Madrid's 15-strong World Cup contingent to return to the Spanish capital, linking up with the squad just one week before their La Liga curtain-raiser. Even so, the Englishman hit the ground running against Espanyol, breaking the deadlock with a powerful header. Following a subdued 2025–26 campaign, Bellingham is eager to make amends.
LW: Vinícius Júnior—Mourinho came to the Brazilian's defense after Saturday's win, during which Madrid's No. 7 was fouled on eight occasions. Vinícius Jr. struggled to make an impact, but he is unlikely to lose his starting spot this early in the season.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—It was a frustrating season debut for Mbappé, whose World Cup form failed to carry over into Saturday's opener. Still, his record against this particular opponent should offer some encouragement. The Frenchman has netted seven goals in six appearances against Real Sociedad.
James Cormack is a writer for SI FC. Having opted against pursuing a football coaching undergraduate degree at the last moment, he chose instead to undertake a six-month internship with 90min in 2019 and has never looked back. Cormack's current SEO focus means he frequently works in the realm of match previews and predicted lineups, though he also brings considerable experience in news and feature writing. A deep passion for football history and the European game often takes his work beyond the familiar territory of the Premier League, though it is Tottenham Hotspur where his strongest loyalties lie.