Real vs. Rayo: Three Players Out, Several Stars Return

Real Madrid will host Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu this Saturday evening in Matchday 5 of La Liga.

After making a perfect start to the league campaign with three consecutive victories, José Mourinho’s side suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend, losing 1-0 away to Real Betis. The result brought Madrid’s early momentum to a halt and increased the importance of producing an immediate response in front of their home supporters.

The objective will therefore be very clear for Los Blancos: return to winning ways and avoid dropping more points at this early stage of the championship. Facing Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu represents a good opportunity for Mourinho’s men to bounce back, especially as the Portuguese coach has received several pieces of positive news ahead of the match.

Several important players return

José Mourinho will be able to count on the return of several key members of his squad this weekend.

Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler and Eduardo Camavinga are all available again after missing Real Madrid’s latest Champions League fixture through suspension. Their return provides Mourinho with significantly more options in midfield and should allow him to rotate after a demanding European match.

Raúl Asencio is also back in the squad. The defender had been sidelined since the beginning of the season because of injury, and his return gives the Real Madrid coach another solution in defence.

Aurélien Tchouaméni and Endrick are also included after being unavailable for Madrid’s previous La Liga match. Their presence means Mourinho will have considerably more depth when selecting his starting XI and making changes during the game.

The situation in the treatment room has therefore improved considerably. Real Madrid are now missing only three long-term absentees.

Éder Militão remains unavailable as he continues his recovery, while Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo Goes are also still sidelined. All three players will miss Saturday’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano.

Despite those absences, Mourinho will have a strong and competitive squad at his disposal as Madrid look to recover from the defeat against Betis and maintain their position among the leading teams in La Liga.

📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
🆚 @RayoVallecano pic.twitter.com/vcvSLG2DHO

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 11, 2026

Real Madrid squad against Rayo Vallecano

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Sergio Mestre.

Defenders: Raúl Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella, Álvaro Carreras, Antonio Rüdiger, Denzel Dumfries.

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Thiago Pitarch.

Forwards: Vinícius Júnior, Endrick, Kylian Mbappé, Espi, Brahim Díaz, Yan Diomandé.

With several important players returning and the support of the Bernabéu behind them, Real Madrid will be expected to react strongly after last weekend’s setback. Mourinho now has more options available in almost every area of the pitch, and anything other than victory against Rayo Vallecano would represent another disappointing result for the Spanish giants.