Vinicius Junior Returns to Ignite Real Madrid's Attack Against Espanyol
Real Madrid faces their next La Liga challenge against an undefeated Espanyol squad at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Xabi Alonso has guided Los Blancos to a flawless beginning in 2025–26, steering his new team to four straight league wins, plus securing three points in their Champions League debut versus Marseille. Despite being reduced to 10 men in their previous two fixtures, they have managed to secure victories.
Real Madrid aims to extend their winning run when Espanyol travels to the Spanish capital. However, Alonso must work with a patched-up defense against the third-ranked team in La Liga. Antonio Rüdiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy are sidelined with injuries for this encounter, while Dean Huijsen serves a suspension after his dismissal against Real Sociedad.
The positive development for Los Blancos is that Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga might make their season debuts after rejoining Los Blancos' roster on Tuesday.
Here's how Real Madrid's starting eleven might appear against Espanyol on Sept. 20.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Espanyol (4-2-3-1)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—Courtois must perform admirably behind an untested defensive line, a challenge he's familiar with.
RB: Dani Carvajal—With Alexander-Arnold unavailable, the right side is exclusively Carvajal's domain. Although the Spaniard received a red card versus Marseille, he remains available for La Liga action.
CB: Éder Militão—The Brazilian faces the challenging task of containing an Espanyol attack that has found the net eight times in their first four league games.
CB: Raúl Asencio—Asencio might earn his first start since the FIFA Club World Cup with both Huijsen and Rüdiger unavailable. The Real Madrid Castilla graduate will aim to redeem himself after disappointing summer displays.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—Carreras has featured in every minute since arriving at Real Madrid, demonstrating his value as a crucial component of Alonso's starting eleven.
DM: Federico Valverde—The Uruguayan emphasized on Tuesday that his natural position is in midfield, not as a makeshift defender. For the moment, Valverde will have his preference granted.
DM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—Tchouaméni has been the overlooked star of Los Blancos' flawless campaign start. While the Frenchman could slot into center back against Espanyol, his midfield contribution is essential for Saturday's match.
AM: Arda Güler—It was Güler's error that resulted in Marseille's opening goal on Tuesday evening. The 20-year-old seeks redemption from that atypical display before Bellingham returns to claim his starting position.
RW: Franco Mastantuono—The Argentine's solid Champions League bow should secure him another consecutive start on the right flank. Mastantuono continues seeking his maiden goal contribution in Real Madrid colors.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Mbappé is in exceptional form this campaign, scoring six times in his opening five matches across all tournaments. The France striker, who has already reached 50 goals in Real Madrid jersey, aims to maintain his scoring form in his 65th Los Blancos appearance.
LW: Vinícius Júnior—Anticipate Vinícius Júnior's return to the starting lineup after playing just 27 minutes in the Champions League. The winger now competes with Rodrygo for the left-wing starting position.
