Vinicius Jr. Set for Explosive Real Madrid Comeback Against Olympiacos After Shocking Weekend Benching
Real Madrid face off against Olympiacos in Champions League action on Wednesday night as they seek to break their three-match winless run.
A loss to Liverpool in their latest European encounter was followed by stalemates against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, which reduced their advantage at the top of La Liga, but Xabi Alonso is expecting improvement in what will be their fourth consecutive away fixture.
Madrid haven't faced the Greek side in 18 years—their previous encounter ending scoreless in 2007—and are determined to prevent a setback that could harm their prospects of securing automatic qualification to the knockout rounds with a top-eight league phase position.
Here's how Madrid might set up in Athens.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Olympiacos (4-3-1-2)
GK: Andriy Lunin—Thibaut Courtois's unavailability due to sickness opens the door for Lunin, who will earn his first start of the 2025–26 campaign. The Ukrainian hasn't appeared in a competitive match for Los Blancos since May.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Alexander-Arnold played as a wingback against Elche in Alonso's unusual formation and team selection, but should return to his favored right-back position on Wednesday.
CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni—With Dean Huijsen now joining Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba on the injury list, returning player Tchouaméni could be instantly recalled to the starting eleven to compensate for the missing defenders.
CB: Raúl Asencio—Asencio hasn't been perfect since Alonso took charge, but his defensive contribution is vital during this injury crisis. Ayoub El Kaabi, who has netted ten goals this season, will test him thoroughly.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—Carreras has been excellent for Madrid following his summer arrival and will be counted on to deliver another steady yet dynamic performance in Greece.
CM: Arda Güler—The Turkish midfielder could function as part of a three-man midfield behind Jude Bellingham, with Güler responsible for bringing creativity from a deeper position.
CM: Federico Valverde—Valverde's tireless work rate was absent against Elche as he was unexpectedly left out of the starting lineup, but his comeback should give Madrid more steel in midfield in a challenging atmosphere.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga—The midfielder had a positive influence off the bench against Elche and will bring stability upon his return to the starting XI. Camavinga's defensive awareness is essential with Tchouaméni moving to center-back.
AM: Jude Bellingham—Bellingham found the net and provided an assist to help avoid an upset defeat to Elche on Sunday, delivering an outstanding display that none of his colleagues could replicate.
ST: Vinicius Junior—The tension between the Brazilian and Alonso has been the main talking point surrounding Madrid recently, with Vinicius benched at the weekend. He should regain his place in the team against Olympiacos despite failing to score in all four European matches this season.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Mbappé's remarkable scoring form has cooled in recent fixtures during Madrid's difficult period, but he's still managed 18 goals in 17 appearances this campaign. Five of those efforts have come in the Champions League.
