Real Madrid News
Real Madrid superstar not injured, but a doubt for Copa del Rey clash vs Albacete
Real Madrid fell short in their bid to win the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday night as they lost 3-2 to Barcelona in the final in Jeddah.
Despite the loss, there were some positives to take away for Los Blancos, one of which was the performance of superstar forward Vinicius Jr.
After months of inconsistent form and a long-running goal draught, the 25-year-old Brazilian superstar scored a brilliant goal and was a constant threat going forward.
Vinicius, though, asked to be substituted in the 82nd minute of the game, leading to concerns over his physical condition.
No injury
But, according to the latest update from AS, much to Real Madrid’s relief, there is no injury to Vinicius and his substitution was only due to cramps and extreme fatigue.
Indeed, the attacker was suffering form cramps and was completely exhausted, which is why he asked to be taken off in the final stages of the match even as Real Madrid chased a late equaliser.
And, as per the report, Vinicius is a doubt for the upcoming Copa del Rey encounter against Albacete later this week.
Real Madrid lock horns with the lower division outfit on Wednesday, 14 January, in the Round of 16 of the cup competition, hoping to secure a place in the quarterfinal.
Now, Vinicius is seen as a doubt for the cup tie and his availability will depend on how his recovery goes in the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, Federico Valverde, who suffered an injury scare in the Super Cup final, is also a doubt for the Copa del Rey encounter, with tests scheduled to take place soon to determine the extent of his injury issue.
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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