Real Madrid are set to kick off their 2026–27 LaLiga campaign on the road against Espanyol in Barcelona. Though technically Matchday 2, this marks Los Blancos’ official season opener after their Matchday 1 fixture was postponed, clearing the way for a fresh start following a summer of turnover.
Espanyol, meanwhile, enter the clash riding high after a dominant Matchday 1 performance, securing a 3-0 victory over Levante. The Catalan side will look to carry that early-season momentum into Saturday’s high-stakes test against the Spanish heavyweights.
Real Madrid enter the new campaign eager to start on the right foot following a rare, disappointing season without a major trophy. The club responded with a heavy summer spending spree, headlined by the signing of Ivorian winger Yan Diomandé from RB Leipzig, one of the breakout young stars of the 2026 World Cup.
Predicted lineups for Espanyol and Real Madrid
Boasting a revamped roster built to contend across LaLiga and Europe, Real Madrid will be eager to claim all three points in its opener, while Espanyol aim to pull off an early-season upset. Here are the predicted starting XIs for both squads:
- Espanyol’s predicted starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Marko Dmitrovic
- Defenders: Omar El Hilali (RB), Urko Gonzalez de Zarate (CB), Fernando Calero (CB), Carlos Romero (LB)
- Midfielders: Edu Exposito, Pol Lozano, Ruben Sanchez (RW), Ramon Terrats (CAM), Tyrhys Dolan (LW)
- Forward: Roberto Fernandez (ST)
- Real Madrid’s predicted starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
- Defenders: Denzel Dumfries (RB), Ibrahima Konate (CB), Dean Huijsen (CB), Marc Cucurella (LB)
- Midfielders: Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler (CAM)
- Forward: Kylian Mbappe (ST), Yan Diomande (RW), Vinicius Junior (LW)
