Real Madrid Starting XI vs Liverpool: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup | OneFootball

Real Madrid prepare for Anfield test in UEFA Champions League spotlight

In Europe, reputations are forged in hostile cathedrals of noise. Few arenas deliver that furnace quite like Anfield, and Real Madrid arrive knowing Liverpool sense an opportunity. This UEFA Champions League fixture carries not only star power but tactical intrigue, selection dilemmas and the ever-present narrative of these two titans colliding again.

Xabi Alonso returns to Merseyside not as a spice-strewn nostalgia act but as Real Madrid manager, charged with guiding a side built with precision and ruthless efficiency. His squad travel without key defenders, yet momentum, confidence and a frightening cutting edge come with them.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Valverde at centre of right-back debate

Liverpool watchers may raise an eyebrow at a developing subplot. Trent Alexander-Arnold is fit again after a month sidelined with a hamstring problem. Yet Real Madrid have found an elegant solution in his absence. Federico Valverde, naturally a midfielder, has deputised at right-back and impressed with the maturity expected of a modern hybrid footballer.

Photo IMAGO

Alonso made his admiration clear after the Valencia win, saying: “We can all see how well-rounded he is and the level at which he’s playing,” and adding “With the ball, he has the soul of a midfielder and is very powerful offensively. Since he started playing, his level has been increasing and we know that he is a complete player. Due to the needs of the team, he has played as a full-back and is still playing really well.”

This is no ceremonial reshuffle. Valverde offers control, penetration and bite, and keeping Alexander-Arnold out of the Real Madrid starting XI is now a genuine consideration. For Liverpool, the sight of their academy star back in contention sharpens anticipation, yet they know they face a player enjoying peak confidence.

Injuries force defensive continuity, Mbappe leads charge

David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger remain out, injuries that might make other sides wobble. Real Madrid instead embrace continuity, with Thibaut Courtois marshalling an unchanged back five for a third consecutive match. Consistency breeds calm, and Alonso has chosen stability in a fixture notorious for emotional chaos.

Up front, there is no debate. Kylian Mbappe walks into this game with the aura of a striker who bends matches to his will. Eighteen goals already in Real Madrid colours underline his ferocity. The stage, lights and expectation only energise him further, and Liverpool supporters know the danger all too well.

Projected Real Madrid XI for Champions League trip to Liverpool

Courtois, Valverde, Militao, Huijsen, A. Carreras, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Arda Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe.

Unavailable: Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Mastantuono.

Kick-off is set for 8pm GMT on Tuesday 4 November, live on Amazon Prime, with Anfield once again centre-stage in the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool have the atmosphere and historical energy, Real Madrid have the form and firepower. Expect tension, bravery and moments of brilliance.