Santiago Bernabéu welcomes Real Madrid tonight with an atmosphere of special anticipation. The start of the season has been flawless in terms of results, but the focus is on the starting line-up chosen by Xabi Alonso. The Basque coach introduces significant changes compared to the last league match.
Vinicius regains his place in the starting line-up
The big news is Vinicius's return to the starting eleven after being a substitute against Real Oviedo. That day, his absence surprised many, although the Brazilian replied with a decisive performance off the bench: he scored a goal and provided an assist. This time, he starts from the beginning, occupying the left flank, which pushes Rodrygo out of the starting line-up. The continued commitment to Vinicius makes it clear that the Basque coach trusts him to recover his best form at home.
The one who loses out is once again Rodrygo
The Brazilian is, without a doubt, the main victim of the current system. In the first league match, he had already been a substitute, now history repeats itself. The situation is even more complicated because his natural position on the right has been taken by Franco Mastantuono. The young Argentine, one of the biggest prospects from the youth academy, will play his first start at Bernabéu. At just 18 years old, he is managing to establish himself in the attacking rotation, which reinforces the feeling that Rodrygo Goes has lost ground in the attacking hierarchy.
The other notable change is in defense, where Militao replaces Rüdiger, while Alexander-Arnold comes in for Carvajal. These changes allow for a line-up with greater attacking projection from the full-backs and more security in aerial play. There are no surprises up front: Kylian Mbappé remains the undisputed reference point. The Frenchman has scored three goals in just two matchdays (jornadas) and faces this match with the opportunity to increase his tally at home.
Mallorca look to hold out with a renewed plan
Meanwhile, Jagoba Arrasate has changed his tactical setup to try to stop the white team's attacking power. He has opted for a line of three center-backs and two wing-backs, with Kumbulla's first start standing out. Morlanes and Muriqi also return after serving suspensions against Barça. The intention is to strengthen the defensive structure and, at the same time, have a clear reference in attack with the Kosovar striker.
The statistics reinforce Real Madrid's favoritism. The white team have beaten Mallorca in the last ten matches played at Santiago Bernabéu in all competitions. To find the last victory for the team from Mallorca at this stadium, you have to go back to 2008, which shows the magnitude of the challenge facing Jagoba Arrasate's team.
With the atmosphere of a packed Bernabéu and a line-up with important changes, the match presents itself as a key test to measure Xabi Alonso's ability to manage a squad full of talent and competitive egos.