Espanyol are the next club in line looking to hand Real Madrid their first loss of the 2025–26 season.
The hosts come into the fixture as La Liga leaders through four matches in Xabi Alonso’s debut campaign. The Spanish giants have remained perfect to start the season, but Espanyol are not far behind. The Catalans are also unbeaten, with impressive wins against Atlético Madrid and Mallorca to claim third place.
What Time Does Real Madrid vs. Espanyol Kick-Off?
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 20
- Kick-off Time: 3:15 p.m. BST / 10:15 a.m. ET / 7:15 a.m. PT
Real Madrid vs. Espanyol Head-to-Head Record
- Real Madrid: 4 wins
- Espanyol: 1 win
- Draws: 0
- Last Meeting: Espanyol 1–0 Real Madrid (Feb. 1, 2025) – La Liga
Real Madrid Team News
Real Madrid are once again shorthanded at the back. Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy in the infirmary. Dean Huijsen is also ruled out due to suspension, paving the way for Raúl Asencio or Aurélien Tchouaméni to partner Éder Militão. On a positive note, Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga are in contention to log their first minutes of the season from the bench.
Espanyol Team News
Espanyol will be without top scorer Pere Milla, who is suspended for the clash. His absence is a huge blow, as he had scored in three of the team’s first four matches. José Gragera and Brian Oliván also remain out with long-term injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Espanyol (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Asencio, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouaméni; Mastantuono, Güler, Vinícius Júnior; Mbappé.
Espanyol predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-4-2): Dmitrović; El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Romero; Dolan, Lozano, González de Zárate, Puado; K. García, Fernández.
Score Prediction
While Espanyol have exceeded expectations this season, beating Real Madrid is a different challenge entirely. With Kylian Mbappé in elite goalscoring form, Alonso’s team has the edge. While it’s hard to imagine Los Blancos keeping a clean sheet given their defensive absences, the loss of Milla will likely be too much for Espanyol to overcome at the Bernabéu.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2–1 Espanyol