Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Real Sociedad: La Liga

Familiar issues came to the fore again for Real Madrid, but the second José Mourinho era at least got off to a winning start on Saturday.

Carlos Espí’s 90th-minute strike secured a relatively unconvincing 2–1 win for Los Blancos, who were troubled by Espanyol’s transition threat while the contest was level. Still, Madrid supporters were able to catch a glimpse of their new-look galácticos in drips and drabs, with Mourinho needing to carefully manage his roster after a hectic World Cup summer.

The Portuguese manager is now preparing for his Bernabéu homecoming, with Madrid hosting Real Sociedad in their home opener on Wednesday.

Here’s who Mourinho could pick for Real Madrid’s first home outing of the La Liga season.

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Real Sociedad

GK: Thibaut Courtois—Madrid’s No. 1 waxed lyrical over the under-the-radar Espí after Saturday’s match-winning cameo, calling the young Spanish striker a “beast.” Should Kylian Mbappé be looking over his shoulder?

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Mourinho is likely to switch between Alexander-Arnold and new arrival Denzel Dumfries at the start of the season until a first choice becomes clear. The Englishman’s presence on the bench was a surprise at the weekend, given his relatively strong preseason.

CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Konaté was ready to start in Madrid’s opening game, and there’s no reason why he won’t keep his spot at the heart of the defense. Antonio Rüdiger’s role looks set to be limited this term, especially once Éder Militão returns from injury.

CB: Dean Huijsen—The former Bournemouth defender had a bruising opening match, with a cut above his eye briefly forcing him off in the first half. Huijsen’s passing came to the fore, smoothing Madrid’s build-up and ensuring Mourinho’s team progressed the ball upfield.

LB: Marc Cucurella—After appearing off the bench on Saturday, the World Cup winner should be ready to make his first start of the season.

CM: Federico Valverde—With Aurélien Tchouaméni still sidelined through injury, Federico Valverde will patrol Real Madrid’s engine room again in midweek.

CM: Bernardo Silva—It wasn’t the most thrilling of debuts for the busy midfielder, who was perhaps fortunate to last as long as he did before his 79th-minute withdrawal. Still, the former Manchester City stalwart will get the chance to leave an impression on home soil.

RW: Arda Güler—Jude Bellingham’s inclusion shifted Güler out to the right, but he was still able to drift centrally with Denzel Dumfries rampaging on the overlap. His role may differ with an alternate right back profile behind him.

AM: Jude Bellingham—Bellingham was the last of Madrid’s 15-player-strong World Cup contingent to return to the Spanish capital, and he only joined up with the rest of the group a week before their La Liga opener. However, the Englishman didn’t miss a beat against Espanyol, opening the scoring with a powerful header. After a quiet 2025–26 season, Bellingham is keen to make up for lost time.

LW: Vinícius Júnior—Mourinho came to the Brazilian’s aid after Saturday’s victory, during which Madrid’s No. 7 was fouled eight times. Vinícius Jr struggled to contribute, but he’s unlikely to drop out of the team at this early juncture.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—It was a frustrating start to the season for Mbappé, whose World Cup sharpness failed to translate into Saturday’s opener. Still, he’ll be encouraged by his record in this fixture. The Frenchman has seven goals in six games against Real Sociedad.

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