Real Madrid News
Real Madrid winger absent for Girona clash due to training injury – report
Real Madrid take on Girona tomorrow at Montilivi, hoping to maintain their second spot in the league, amid pressure from cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid.
The reigning European champions have announced their squad, featuring youngsters such as Sergio Arribas and Mario Martin. Eden Hazard was one of the major absentees from the squad.
According to Jorge C Picon, Hazard missed out of the Real Madrid squad to face Girona because of a blow to his ankle during training today. The attacker is set to undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.
This serves as yet another blow for Hazard, who has had a forgettable spell at Real Madrid. He has struggled with a series of injuries, which has led to his dissipating role in the first team. The Belgian has only featured in just five league matches this term.
Hazard is also yet to score in La Liga this season, which is indicative of his dismal record at Real Madrid. However, it must be noted that the attacker was unlikely to feature even if he was fit.
Over the last nine league matches, Hazard was part of the Real Madrid squad all nine times. But the former Chelsea superstar featured on the pitch only twice during that period, with Carlo Ancelotti favouring other options.
When asked today if the Belgian had spoken to him about his situation, Ancelotti said: “We haven’t spoken much. I don’t ask players to come and talk. If they need to talk, I’m always ready.”
Hazard’s chances of featuring in the team could have increased during the final phase of the league campaign as Real Madrid would be focusing on the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League. But his recent injury means that it is unlikely to happen any longer.
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
🆚 @ElcheCF
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