OFFICIAL: Real Madrid’s starting XI against Espanyol!

Real Madrid have officially announced their starting XI for tonight’s La Liga clash against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. José Mourinho has made some major choices for his first competitive match since returning to the Madrid bench, with several summer signings included from the start.

The wait is finally over. Real Madrid begin their 2026/27 La Liga campaign this Saturday evening away to Espanyol, with kick-off scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CEST in Barcelona. Madrid’s originally scheduled opening league match was postponed, meaning the meeting with Espanyol represents Mourinho’s first official test of the new season.

Real Madrid’s official starting XI

Goalkeeper: Courtois

Defenders: Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras

Midfielders: Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Bellingham, Arda Güler

Forwards: Vinicius Jr., Mbappé

Mourinho has therefore gone with an extremely attacking-looking team for his competitive return.

Thibaut Courtois keeps his usual place between the posts, while the Portuguese coach has opted for a new-look back four. Denzel Dumfries starts at right-back, with Ibrahima Konaté and Dean Huijsen forming the central defensive partnership. Álvaro Carreras completes the defence on the left.

There is also plenty of quality in midfield. Captain Federico Valverde is expected to play an important role alongside new signing Bernardo Silva, whose technical ability and experience could be crucial in controlling possession against an Espanyol side determined to press Madrid aggressively.

📍El Real Madrid ya pisa el césped del RCDE Stadium

🆕⬜️ Esta noche arranca la era Mourinho 2.0 ante el Espanyol

❔¿Cómo le irá? pic.twitter.com/hqJCmmPAEX

— Diario SPORT (@sport) August 22, 2026

Further forward, Mourinho has selected both Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler, giving Real Madrid two creative players capable of operating between the lines. It will be particularly interesting to see how the Portuguese coach organizes his attacking midfield and whether Güler is given freedom to move inside and combine with Bellingham.

Up front, there are no major surprises.

Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé will once again carry much of Real Madrid’s attacking threat. Mbappé leads the line as the main striker, while Vinicius will look to use his pace and one-on-one ability from the left.

The biggest talking point may be Mourinho’s decision to immediately trust several players who joined the squad during the summer, illustrating just how different this Real Madrid side could look during the 2026/27 campaign.

Madrid should not expect an easy evening, however. Espanyol began their league season in impressive fashion with a 3-0 victory over Levante, collecting three points while keeping a clean sheet.

For Mourinho, the objective is clear: begin his second spell in charge of Real Madrid with a victory and send an early message to the rest of La Liga.

Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo Silva; Bellingham, Güler, Vinicius; Mbappé.