Álvaro Arbeloa made three changes to Real Madrid’s starting lineup for the match against Alavés at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The most notable was Tchouameni’s return to the midfield after a break, as well as the inclusion of Huijsen and Carreras in the defensive line. These adjustments were a response to the squad difficulties the team faced earlier in the week.
In defense, Huijsen took a central position, while Carreras started on the left flank. Tchouameni was trusted once again in midfield, strengthening control in the center of the field. At the same time, Denis Suárez replaced Pablo Ibáñez, adding creativity to the attack. According to RUSSPAIN, the lineup was formed with the upcoming important match against Mallorca in mind, but Lucas Boyé, despite minor health issues, remained in the starting squad.
Changes for the opponent
Alavés coach Quique Sánchez Flores also made three changes to his side. Yusi, a Madrid academy product, appeared on the left flank, with Denis Suárez taking a spot in central midfield. Boyé, who recently scored twice coming off the bench, starts again in attack. In defense, the team switched to a formation with three central defenders—Otto, Tenaglia, and Parada—strengthening their back line ahead of the matchup with one of La Liga’s leaders.
Squad losses and expectations
Real Madrid approaches the match with significant losses: Asencio, Courtois, and Rodrygo will not be able to help the team. Álvaro Arbeloa has not managed to bring any of the injured players back to the squad. Alavés also has absences — Fran Garcés, Protesoni, and Rebbach did not travel to Madrid. Despite this, both teams are aiming for a positive result, and the Real Madrid captain continues to fight for a spot on the national team and to extend his contract, although he will start the match on the bench.
Historical context and winning streak
The meeting with Alavés is a chance for Real Madrid to extend its impressive winning streak. The club has won its last eight matches against this opponent in La Liga and could repeat its record series of nine consecutive victories, set between 2002 and 2018. Interest in the match is also fueled by the fact that the club president decided to recognize the players even on a weekday, which did not go unnoticed among the fans.
Amid squad restructuring and personnel losses, attention to detail and tactical decisions becomes a key factor. Such changes in top clubs’ lineups have already been discussed in RUSSPAIN materials, for example, when Atlético de Madrid prepared for crucial matches after the Cup final — you can learn more about this in the analysis of Atlético de Madrid’s preparation for the match against Arsenal.
