La Liga leaders Real Madrid will be looking to get a head start on their rivals away at Levante on September 23.
Xabi Alonso's side have enjoyed a superb start to the 2025/26 campaign with five wins from five league games including a 2-0 weekend home victory over Espanyol.
Alonso's strong start back in Madrid also featured an opening win in the UEFA Champions League as two Kylian Mbappe penalties sealed a 2-1 home defeat of Marseille.
A trip east to face Levante comes a full 48 hours before second-place Barcelona head to Real Oviedo, and victory on the road would extend Los Blancos' lead at the top to five points.
Levante's La Liga return has been tough in the opening weeks of the 2025/26 campaign with the hosts winning just one of their five games.
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Levante vs. Real Madrid lineups: Starting XI, team news, injury latest
Levante's fortunes changed over the weekend as Julian Calero's team won 4-0 away at rock-bottom Girona.
The hosts have not flagged up any fresh injuries from that game, but with such a short turnaround in between matches, Calero has looked to freshen things up, ringing changes at the back and in midfield.
The boss brings in Adrian de la Fuente in defense, while Jon Olasagasti enters as a left midfielder.
Levante starting XI (4-4-2): Ryan (GK) — Toljan, Elgezabal, de la Fuente, Pampin — C. Alvarez, Rey, Vencedor, Olasagasti — Romero, Eyong.
Levante bench: Cunat (GK), Matturro, M. Sanchez, Moreno, Losada, Arriaga, P. Martinez, V. Garcia, Espi, Koyalipou, J. Morales, Brugue.
Injured: None.
Suspended: None.
Alonso's injury list has not changed since the Espanyol game with defensive trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy all still out.
Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham were both given brief cameos off the bench against Espanyol, but there's been caution over both of their full returns. Arda Guler has been fantastic filling in for Bellingham at the No. 10, and he remains in the XI.
The Madrid boss also played down rumours of a rift with Vinicius Junior following his angry reaction to being substituted at the weekend, and he retains his starting spot on the left wing opposite rising star Franco Mastantuono.
Dean Huijsen is back from suspension and comes into the XI, but it's to spell Eder Militao not replace Raul Asencio, who has another chance to impress the boss after a rough Club World Cup lost him ground in the race for minutes.
Real Madrid starting XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois (GK) — F. Garcia, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras — Cabellos, Valverde — Mastantuono, Guler, Vinicius — Mbappe.
Real Madrid bench: Lunin (GK), Carvajal, Alaba, D. Jimenez, Militao, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Bellingham, B. Diaz, Endrick, Rodrygo, G. Garcia.
Injured: Rudiger (hamstring), Alexander-Arnold (hamstring), Mendy (muscle).
Suspended: None.
Levante vs. Real Madrid match details
- Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2025
- Kickoff time: 9:30 p.m. local / 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT / 5:30 a.m. AEST (Sep. 24)
- Location: Ciutat de Valencia, Valencia (Spain)
- Competition: La Liga
- Referee: Isidro Diaz de Mera
- VAR: Juan Luis Pulido Santana
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