Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Borussia Dortmund: Champions League

Real Madrid hosts Borussia Dortmund in a rematch of the 2024 Champions League final, but this time, Los Blancos have Kylian Mbappé on their side.

Less than five months ago, Real Madrid and Dortmund clashed at Wembley Stadium to crown the new winners of the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti’s men defeated BVB thanks to goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior, and went on to lift the club’s 15th Champions League trophy.

The two sides will meet again on Oct. 22 in the new league phase of the 2024–25 Champions League. Dortmund remains perfect in the competition with victories over Club Brugge and Celtic while Los Blancos are coming off a shocking defeat to Lille. Real Madrid will look to get its title defense back on track, especially now that Mbappé, Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr. and Thibaut Courtois all recovered from their respective injuries.

After Ancelotti’s failed back three against Celta Vigo at the weekend, expect the manager to return to his typical XI, featuring his most trust players shoring up his backline in the absence of Carvajal.

Here’s what Real Madrid’s XI could look like against Nuri Şahin’s men.

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GK: Thibaut Courtois—Courtois was back to his usual heroics at the weekend after recovering from an abductor injury. He will make his second UCL appearance this season.

RB: Lucas Vázquez—In the wake of Dani Carvajal’s season-ending knee injury, Vázquez is Ancelotti’s new first-choice right-back.

CB: Éder Militão—Despite playing through discomfort on Saturday, Militão is set to start against Dortmund, something he could not do in the 2024 UCL final due to injury.

CB: Antonio Rüdiger—The 31-year-old will have the tough task of silencing Serhou Guirassy, who has scored seven goals in as many matches for Dortmund this season.

LB: Ferland Mendy—Expect the left-back to return to the starting XI after only playing 20 minutes against Celta Vigo.

CM: Federico Valverde—The Uruguayan is the only player on the team to start every match for Los Blancos this season and his streak will surely stay in tact as the midfielder gears up for his 14th consecutive start.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—After another experiment in the backline, expect the Frenchman to return to the midfield.

CM: Jude Bellingham—The England international played well as a right midfielder on Saturday, but expect him to return to his preferred left side against Dortmund.

RW: Rodrygo—Rodrygo should return to the XI for the first time since suffering from minor back discomfort in the Madrid derby. The 23-year-old has struggled to produce on the right-wing since Mbappé’s arrival, though, meaning Ancelotti could stick with a 4-man midfield in place of the Brazilian winger.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—Fresh off scoring a screamer against Celta Vigo, Mbappé leads the team in goalscoring despite missing time with a previous thigh injury.

LW: Vinícius Júnior—The Brazilian might be Real Madrid’s second-highest goalscorer this season, but Vinícius Jr. has yet to find the back of the net in Los Blancos’ Champions League title defense.

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