Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Predicted lineup and team news

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The Football Faithful

·26 October 2025

Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Predicted lineup and team news

Spanish football’s legendary rivalry takes centre stage once again this Sunday, as Real Madrid and Barcelona lock horns at the Santiago Bernabéu for the opening El Clásico of the 2025-26 campaign.

With the top of La Liga up for grabs, Real Madrid come into the blockbuster tie with 24 points, just a slender two points ahead of Barcelona, making this clash pivotal in the early battle for first place.

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Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Predicted lineup and team news

Real Madrid Team News

Xabi Alonso receives a welcome lift ahead of this high-profile encounter, as defenders Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Dani Carvajal are all cleared to return following recent injuries. Huijsen’s calf issue has subsided, and Alexander-Arnold has made a faster-than-expected recovery—down to just five weeks out with his hamstring problem.

Alonso is expected to stick with Federico Valverde at right-back from the start, with Alexander-Arnold likely to be introduced later in the game.

Nevertheless, Los Blancos will still miss the services of Antonio Rudiger, who’s absent until December with a muscle injury, and David Alaba, sidelined due to a calf problem.

Madrid’s recent league form remains impressive; they top the table after nine matches, having secured victories over both Villarreal (3-1) and Getafe (1-0), and clinched a valuable 1-0 win against Juventus in the Champions League.

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup

Possible Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Valverde, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouameni, Bellingham; Arda Guler, Mastantuono, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe.