Arjun Menon
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Atletico Madrid host Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga on Sunday 20 September 2026, and our predicted lineups for both sides point to two dressing rooms that have barely changed their starting picture in recent weeks. Diego Simeone and José Mourinho have each leaned on a settled group, and that consistency is the clearest signal we have ahead of official confirmation. Below are the expected XIs, built from who has actually started recently rather than who simply looks good on paper.
Atletico Madrid Predicted Lineup
Atletico Madrid’s projection is built around a 4-4-2, the shape Diego Simeone prefers when his squad is fit to run it. The side looks largely settled, with 7 of the projected XI starting their last match, which suggests few surprises are likely before kickoff. Jan Oblak stands out most clearly, having started all six matches used for this projection and kept his place in the last one too. Further forward, Koke offers more of a contrast: only three starts in the sample hint at a rotation risk in central midfield even though he was picked last time out.
Atletico Madrid predicted XI: Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dávid Hancko, Marc Pubill; Alejandro Baena Rodríguez, Giuliano Simeone Baldini, Koke, Morten Hjulmand; Lee Kang-In, Ademola Lookman
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 6 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 13 | Jan Oblak | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 14 | Marcos Llorente | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 22 | Alejandro Grimaldo | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 17 | Dávid Hancko | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 18 | Marc Pubill | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 10 | Alejandro Baena Rodríguez | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 20 | Giuliano Simeone Baldini | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 6 | Koke | 3/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 23 | Morten Hjulmand | 4/6 | 1/3 |
| F | 7 | Lee Kang-In | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| F | 11 | Ademola Lookman | 5/6 | 2/3 |
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup
Real Madrid’s expected XI is set out in a 4-2-3-1, the formation José Mourinho has generally favoured with this squad. This is another largely settled line-up, with 9 of the projected XI starting their last match, the highest such figure of the two sides here. Thibaut Courtois has started every one of the six matches used for this projection and remains the clear pick in goal. Yan Diomande is the name to watch in the other direction, with just two starts in that sample despite featuring in the last match, which leaves his midfield slot looking the least secure in the predicted line-up.
Real Madrid predicted XI: Thibaut Courtois; Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries; Vinícius, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Yan Diomande, Arda Güler; Kylian Mbappé
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 6 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Thibaut Courtois | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 16 | Ibrahima Konaté | 5/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 4 | Dean Huijsen | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 17 | Marc Cucurella | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 24 | Denzel Dumfries | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 7 | Vinícius | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 8 | Federico Valverde | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| M | 5 | Jude Bellingham | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 25 | Yan Diomande | 2/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 15 | Arda Güler | 3/6 | 1/3 |
| F | 10 | Kylian Mbappé | 6/6 | 3/3 |
Injuries and Suspensions
Julián Álvarez, Alexander Sørloth and Pablo Barrios Rivas are out injured, a run of absences that hits Atletico Madrid squarely up front and in central midfield. With two forwards unavailable, Jonathan David looks the most obvious bench option to step into an attacking role if needed, while Johnny Cardoso is the alternative cover in the middle of the pitch.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julián Álvarez | F | injured | Muscle bruise |
| Alexander Sørloth | F | injured | Muscle bruise |
| Pablo Barrios Rivas | M | injured | Muscle bruise |
Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and Rodrygo are out injured for Real Madrid, a list that thins both the back line and the forward options. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rüdiger are the bench names best placed to fill in defensively, while Brahim Díaz offers an attacking alternative if changes are needed further forward.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferland Mendy | D | injured | Hip injury |
| Éder Militão | D | injured | Hamstring Injury |
| Rodrygo | F | injured | Jumpers knee |
How We Predict These XIs
Each predicted lineup here is built from that team’s last six matches, with more recent matches weighted more heavily than older ones so a shift in team news shows up quickly. Any player confirmed injured or suspended has been removed from selection entirely, regardless of how often they had been starting before. This is a projection, not an announcement, and it will change once the official team news for Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid is released.
FAQ
Who is predicted to start in goal for Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid?
Jan Oblak is projected in goal for Atletico Madrid and Thibaut Courtois for Real Madrid, with both having started every one of their last six matches used in this projection.
What formation are Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid expected to use?
Atletico Madrid’s predicted line-up is set up in a 4-4-2 under Diego Simeone, while Real Madrid’s expected XI lines up in a 4-2-3-1 under José Mourinho.
Who is unavailable for Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid?
Julián Álvarez, Alexander Sørloth and Pablo Barrios Rivas are out injured for Atletico Madrid, while Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and Rodrygo are out injured for Real Madrid.
When does Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid kick off?
The Spanish La Liga fixture between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid kicks off on Sunday 20 September 2026.