Just three days after their shock Copa del Rey exit, Real Madrid are back to La Liga action when they host 19th-place Levante on Saturday.
New boss Álvaro Arbeloa had a nightmare first game in charge of his former club. Los Blancos suffered a 3–2 defeat to second-tier side Albacete to crash out of the Copa del Rey in the round of 16, fueling more concerns surrounding the sudden nature of Xabi Alonso’s departure and the current state of the club.
The silver lining to the embarrassing loss is that most of Arbeloa’s star-studded squad was left back in Madrid, where they enjoyed a much-needed rest before they return to the Bernabéu at the weekend. Even amid such turmoil, Real Madrid cannot afford to drop points against a struggling Levante if they want to keep the pressure on Barcelona atop the table.
Arbeloa will be unable to call on the injured Rodrygo, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy. Kylian Mbappé, though, returned to training with the team and made the Spaniard’s squad for Saturday’s clash.
Here’s how Real Madrid could lineup against Levante for the La Liga bout.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Levante (4-2-3-1)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—If the Belgian had been between the posts against Albacete, there’s a good chance Real Madrid squeak out a victory. Courtois will make a welcomed return to the team’s goal on Saturday.
RB: Federico Valverde—The only way Valverde gets out of starting at right back is if Arbeloa risks giving the nod to the recently recovered Dani Carvajal, who has only logged 13 minutes in the last three months.
CB: Raúl Asencio—Without Rüdiger available, Asencio retains his place in central defense, where his physicality could make the difference against Levante.
CB: Dean Huijsen—The Spaniard has failed to impress in the new year since his return from injury and would surely see his spot in the XI taken if the team was not so inundated with defensive injuries.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—As the season progresses, Carreras looks more and more like the best of Real Madrid’s four summer signings. The fullback should have no trouble exploiting Levante’s weakened flank on the counter attack.
DM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—The France international will be delighted to resume his midfield duties after Alonso threw him in at center back in the Spanish Super Cup final.
DM: Eduardo Camavinga—Camavinga’s defensive work rate, speed and ability to stifle his opponents in transition is enough to get the nod alongside his fellow countryman.
RW: Arda Güler—Until Rodrygo returns, Güler takes his place on the right wing. The Turkish youngster was the best player on the pitch in the team’s midweek defeat.
AM: Jude Bellingham—Real Madrid were crying out for Bellingham’s creativity in the final third on Wednesday evening. The England international is the key to unlocking the team’s struggling attack.
LW: Vinicius Junior—The Brazilian’s season has been defined by inconsistency. Vinicius Jr took over against Barcelona and then fell flat against Albacete. Arbeloa needs the first version of his superstar winger to appear on Saturday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Levante: Arbeloa Makes La Liga Debut.
