Real Madrid XI vs. Espanyol: Mbappe Among Absentees

Real Madrid are meandering towards a bitterly disappointing season, with Barcelona potentially confirmed as champions if they fail to win in Catalonia on Sunday night.

Espanyol have struggled as of late and are playing for very little, but Madrid, too, have been bereft of fight during the run-in. They know the game is up, with Barcelona’s nine-game winning run opening up an 11-point lead at the summit.

Things are bound to look very different in the Spanish capital next season (or curiously familiar) amid talk of José Mourinho returning to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa, who almost certainly won’t be kept on after the season.

Madrid just want to get out of 2025–26, but there’s the small matter of a humiliating Clásico to navigate after Sunday’s duel.

Courtois Set for Injury Return

Thibaut Courtois was involved in partial training on Friday and could return to Arbeloa’s starting lineup before El Clásico after six weeks out.

Kylian Mbappé is already being spoken about as a doubt for the Barcelona game due to his hamstring injury, so the Frenchman certainly won’t play a part this weekend. Gonzalo García, who hasn’t had much of a look-in since impressing at last summer‘s Club World Cup, should be handed a rare La Liga start in his absence.

Arda Güler has been ruled out for the season, while Éder Militão has suffered a hamstring injury that’ll sideline him for the foreseeable. Rodrygo is out for the long haul, and there are doubts over Aurélien Tchouaméni’s status after he missed the 1–1 draw in Seville.

Dani Ceballos’s relationship with the manager has reportedly broken down, and Arbeloa supposedly doesn’t have much time for Dani Carvajal and Raúl Asencio either.

⚠️ Key injuries, absentees, doubts: Thibaut Courtois, Rodrygo, Raúl Asencio, Éder Militão, Kylian Mbappé, Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler.
🔢 Predicted formation: 4-4-2

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Espanyol

Real Madrid lineup — The visitors are short-changed in several areas. | FotMob

GK: Thibaut Courtois—Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke this week about how the recoveries of outfielders differ from goalkeepers, suggesting that Alisson will play this weekend if he trains. Given that Courtois has returned to training in some capacity ahead of Sunday’s game, he should be ready to start.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Carvajal is unlikely to get many opportunities to see out his Madrid career, so Trent will likely retain his spot at right back.

CB: Antonio Rüdiger—Rüdiger supposedly had a “big fight” with an unnamed teammate this week, but that’s unlikely to remove him from the manager’s plans this weekend.

CB: Dean Huijsen—Serenely operating alongside the German is Huijsen, who hasn’t had the most enjoyable of debut seasons in the Spanish capital.

LB: Ferland Mendy—With Álvaro Carreras woefully out of form and Fran García unfancied, it seems like Mendy will continue down the left in Catalonia.

RM: Federico Valverde—Arbeloa’s utility man may have to perform the most heroic of acts to maintain Madrid’s tiny title hopes. Valverde has enjoyed the current manager’s tutelage, having struggled to bond with Xabi Alonso.

CM: Thiago Pitarch—The youngster drops out if Aurélien Tchouaméni is fit to start, but the Frenchman’s status for Sunday is up in the air.

CM: Jude Bellingham—It’s been a quiet season for Bellingham, who’s been hampered by a significant hamstring injury in 2026. We’ve only seen glimmers of his dominant best since coming back into the side.

LM: Brahim Díaz—Sub-optimal role, but Díaz will primarily operate from the left half-space and hope Mendy is capable of providing a reliable source of width from fullback.

ST: Gonzalo García—The Club World Cup star is poised to make his seventh La Liga start this season in Mbappé’s absence. He’s found the back of the net four times, but the limited center forward isn’t of the required level.

ST: Vinicius Junior—Vini Jr will relish the increased responsibility with no Mbappé around, even if the mood around this Madrid team right now is rather melancholic. The Brazilian is the club’s second leading goalscorer in La Liga this season with 13 goals.

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