Real Madrid XI vs. Getafe: Mbappe One of Many Absentees—Injury News, Predicted Lineup

Álvaro Arbeloa is short on alternatives as injuries keep mounting for Los Blancos.

Gonzalo García (left) and Vinicius Junior will have to step-up with Mbappé out injured. | Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images

Real Madrid host Getafe on Monday night needing to collect three points to keep up the pace in the La Liga title race.

Los Blancos briefly captured the top spot in La Liga before falling to Osasuna 2–1 last weekend in Álvaro Arbeloa’s first league defeat as a manager. Real Madrid responded with a win against Benfica to progress to the Champions League last 16, but attention now shifts back to domestic affairs.

Winning against Getafe is a must after Barcelona defeated Villarreal to go four points clear atop the standings. Real Madrid are now obligated to respond but they’ll have to do so without a number of important pieces.

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Arbeloa Forced to Work Around Talismanic Absence

Kylian Mbappé is dealing with a recurring knee issue. | Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Kylian Mbappé will miss his second straight game as he continues to battle a knee injury that’s compromised his availability since the final weeks of 2025. There’s no clear timeline set for Mbappé’s return, but given it’s a recurring issue, Madrid are expected to be overly cautious and he’ll certainly miss Getafe’s visit.

Gonzalo García and Vinicius Junior are expected to once again spearhead Madrid’s attack, but there are other areas of concern. Raúl Asencio suffered an apparent neck injury against Benfica and is doubtful for Monday’s game, a significant blow with fellow center back Dean Huijsen also dealing with fitness issues.

Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham and Éder Militão complete the list on injury casualties. Still, Madrid could be boosted by the return of Rodrygo, who could feature for the first time in nearly a month.

• ⚠️ Key injuries, absentees, doubts: Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen, Dani Ceballos, Raúl Asencio, Rodrygo
• 🔢 Predicted formation: 4-4-2

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Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Getafe (4-4-2)

Arbeloa will make one change to the lineup that took the pitch vs. Benfica last time out. | FotMob

GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian continues to perform like the best goalkeeper in the world and is searching for his La Liga-leading 12th clean sheet of the term.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—Alexander-Arnold’s ability to create chances out of thin air could be crucial for Madrid’s undermanned attack. But the Englishman also needs to be solid defensively, unlike against Benfica midweek.

CB: Antonio Rüdiger—The German must step up and command a backline hindered by injures, providing a confident and capable presence in the heart of defense.

CB: David Alaba—The veteran will likely get the nod amid the injury woes. It’s a chance for him to impress, though it must be said he’s failed to inspire much confidence in recent months.

LB: Álvaro Carreras—Carreras has been the epitome of consistency in his first season with Los Blancos and another positive effort is required on Monday, with Luis Milla looking like his personal assignment.

RM: Federico Valverde—Valverde looks back to his absolute best and his influence has become tangible in recent weeks, collecting four goal contributions in as many games leading up to Monday’s clash.

CM: Arda Güler—The Turkish gem has failed to convince in recent appearances but he continues to feature prominently with Bellingham and Ceballos sidelined. Still, another lackluster showing could result in a reduced role moving forward.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—The Frenchman delivered his best Toni Kroos impression with a classy finish against Benfica and he’ll be hoping to continue showing flashes of the legendary midfielder’s quality.

LM: Eduardo Camavinga—Away from the spotlight Camavinga has strung together consistently good performances. His versatility has been exploited by Arbeloa and he’ll continue to be one of Los Blancos’ most utilized pieces.

ST: Gonzalo García—Tasked with replicating Mbappé’s gargantuan output, García has admirably filled in for the most part, already scoring some crucial goals in his first full season with the senior team.

ST: Vinicius Junior—The Brazilian has rediscovered his best form under Arbeloa and is the key for Los Blancos not to miss Mbappé, as he seemingly can’t stop dancing in recent weeks.

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