Real Madrid's starting eleven vs. Valencia: team news and injuries

Joe Wright

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Real Madrid lineup vs. Valencia: Starting XI, team news, injuries as Trent remains on bench for La Liga action image

TL;DR

  • * Real Madrid leads La Liga by five points after a 2-1 El Clasico win over Barcelona.
  • * Xabi Alonso's team faces Valencia with confidence, having only one loss this season.
  • * Key defenders Alaba, Rudiger, and Carvajal are injured, impacting the starting XI.
  • * The match is the first of a crucial ten-day period before the international break.

JUMP TO:

Real Madrid lead La Liga by five points heading into the weekend after their superb 2-1 El Clasico win over Barcelona.

Xabi Alonso secured a win in his initial encounter against Barcelona as the Real Madrid manager, a feat Carlo Ancelotti couldn't achieve, losing all four matches last season, thanks to early goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. In Madrid, Spain.

Los Blancos have sustained just one defeat in the 2025/26 season under Alonso's guidance, which occurred on the road against their city counterparts, Atletico Madrid. Consequently, they are expected to approach the match against Carlos Corberan's visiting team with considerable self-assurance.

This match initiates a vital ten-day period for Alonso before the November international break, with his squad traveling to Liverpool for Champions League competition on November 4, followed by a derby against Rayo Vallecano five days later. Afterward.

FOLLOW LIVE: Stay informed with real-time updates, key moments, and additional details concerning the Real Madrid versus Valencia match.

Real Madrid: XI vs. Valencia

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Courtois (GK)

Valverde, Huijsen, Militao, Carreras

Guler, Camavinga

Mastantuono, Bellingham, Vinicius

Mbappe

Real Madrid subs:  F. Gonzalez (GK), Mestre (GK), Asencio, Alexander-Arnold, Mendy, F. Garcia, Camavinga, Ceballos, B. Diaz, Rodrygo, Endrick, G. Garcia.

Updates on the Real Madrid squad

Xabi Alonso's biggest issues remain in defence with centre-backs Antonio Rudiger  and David Alaba still sidelined while club captain Dani Carvajal now faces an extended period out of action due to a knee problem.

It was thought that Trent Alexander-Arnold would be back in the starting lineup after being cleared to play, but he's a victim of a squad selection issue that Alonso has had to manage every week. With Jude Bellingham now fit, he's had to find ways of slotting in-form Arda Guler into the XI. Here, the Turkish international is positioned in the midfield, which compels Federico Valverde to occupy the right-back role as Trent continues to be sidelined.

Alonso might also be holding back Alexander-Arnold for the imminent Champions League fixture against his previous team, Liverpool, which is scheduled in just a few days.

Backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is suspended after retrospectively receiving a red card from the bench during the post-Clasico scuffle last weekend.

MORE: Is Vinicius Jr. Unhappy with the amount of time he's playing for Xabi Alonso?

Real Madrid's injured players

Here's the most recent injury update for Real Madrid, along with projected return timelines for players currently out of action.

Alaba's star power

  • Injury: Calf strain (right leg)
  • Expected return date: November 1, 2025

Alaba picked up a calf issue during the victory against Getafe and was absent for El Clasico, having previously missed the match against Juventus. But he may only be fit enough for the bench against Valencia.

Carvajal returns

  • Injury: Knee surgery
  • Expected return date: December, 2025

Spain star Carvajal missed the majority of last season due to a horrific ACL tear and the club confirmed he needs surgery on separate knee problem which flared up against Barcelona. He could miss the remainder of 2025 as part of his recovery.

Mendy's new role

  • Injury: Quadriceps (right leg)
  • Expected return date: November 2025

Mendy has not played since last season's Copa del Rey final after needing surgery on a thigh injury. He returned to team training in the build-up to El Clasico, and a targeted return of early November looks to be on track.

Rudiger shines

  • Injury: Thigh muscle tear (left leg)
  • Expected return date: December 12, 2025

Rudiger tore a thigh muscle in September and was given an estimated recovery period of three months. He may be ready to return for the visit of Manchester City on December 10, if his return to training goes well.

Real Madrid-Valencia match info

  • Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
  • Kickoff time:  9 p.m. Local / 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 7 a.m. AEDT (Nov. 2)
  • Location:  Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid (Spain)
  • Competition: La Liga matchweek 11
  • Referee: Mateo Busquets Ferrer

Latest Real Madrid news

Senior Editor

Joe Wright

Joe Wright is a Senior Editor at Sporting News, overseeing global soccer and multisport. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform news service, covering major global sports news, data analytics, features and video content. Joe has extensive experience covering some of the biggest events in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup, which included the final in Moscow.