Real Madrid News
Not Mbappe or Vinicius – Liverpool boss identifies Real Madrid’s biggest threat ahead of UCL showdown
A fascinating clash awaits later tonight as Real Madrid and Liverpool are set to face off in the UEFA Champions League in one of the league stage’s biggest games.
Los Blancos have faced off against the Merseyside club several times in recent years and have usually had the upper hand over them. Their most recent outing, however, saw the Reds take home the win.
With the game taking place at Anfield, it is safe to say that the Premier League side will have a slight edge. Real Madrid, however, are in far better form and have the momentum on their side.
The key plan
Facing off against Real Madrid, Liverpool manager Arne Slot is undoubtedly aware of the danger posed by the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. who headline Real Madrid’s attack.
As relayed by Defensa Central, however, he has asked his players to keep a special eye on, and thoroughly control, a third player who he feels can hurt his side the most – Jude Bellingham.
“It is key that we can stop him, that he does not come from behind to hurt us,” Slot reportedly has ordered his troops, making it clear how highly he rates the midfielder.
Slot’s fear of Bellingham’s prowess is understandable, given that the Englishman is proficient at reading the game, making runs through the middle and hurting opposition on the counter. Further, he is a defensive menace and provides stability in terms of the team’s press.
It remains to be seen if the manager has a special plan in place to cage Bellingham, but what is clear is that the youngster will look to come out all guns blazing as he takes to the field in his home nation.
After all, he is just returning from a surgery that kept him out for months and was fantastic in El Clasico. Looking ahead to tonight’s clash, there is no reason he cannot be the difference maker again.
Real Madrid will be looking to pick up their fifth win of the 2026/27 La Liga season when they take on Elche CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight.
With 12 points from five games, Los Blancos are currently second in the league table, three points below leaders FC Barcelona.
As such, the Spanish capital club will be eager to get the win and close the gap to the top.
Guler starts, Bellingham rested
Ahead of kickoff, Real Madrid have announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Elche, with Jose Mourinho making some important changes.
For starters, Arda Guler is back in the lineup after appearing as a substitute in the win over Rayo Vallecano.
Interestingly, however, he starts in the attacking midfield role, with Mourinho opting to rest Jude Bellingham, who has started all of Real Madrid’s games so far.
That also means that Yan Diomande retains his place in the team, starting for a second time in a row on the right wing. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. continue in their respective positions in attack.
Another notable change sees Aurelien Tchouameni make his first start of the season after recovering from injury and making two appearances off the bench.
He replaces Bernardo Silva as Federico Valverde’s partner in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella come in as full-backs, while Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen slot in at centre-back in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 15, 2026
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