Real Madrid face Málaga CF this Sunday with Marc Cucurella as the only change to their starting lineup. José Mourinho is set to name an unchanged starting XI for the third consecutive match, as reported by Diario AS, in what will be the team's third game in eight days.
The Spanish left-back, who had a delayed pre-season due to his involvement in the 2026 World Cup with Spain, replaces Álvaro Carreras. Cucurella had already come off the bench in the first two matches of the season, wins against Espanyol and Real Sociedad. Now he steps into the starting team. "The same 11 players were selected by Mourinho for the wins over Espanyol and Real Sociedad, so it would be unlikely if it was three in a row at the Bernabeu," the Portuguese coach said.
How is Real Madrid lining up?
Thibaut Courtois remains in goal. In defence, Denzel Dumfries is still preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back. The centre-back partnership consists of Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen, who have developed a good understanding early in the campaign. Cucurella comes into the side on the left.
In midfield, captain Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva are paired together again. Jude Bellingham plays slightly ahead of them. In attack, Arda Guler is on the right, Vinicius Junior on the left, and Kylian Mbappe leads the line through the middle. The Madrid side will be looking to Bellingham and Mbappe to continue their excellent starts to the season, with the duo having four goals and two assists between them in the opening two fixtures.
What does Mourinho's consistency mean?
The Portuguese manager has shown a willingness to ease certain players into the mix at the start of the season. Yet, in his second spell in charge of the club, he looks set to avoid making too many alterations early on. This stability in the lineup reflects a search for automatisms and confidence from the get-go in LaLiga. You can track the team's progress on our standings page.
What is expected from the Málaga CF clash?
The match should be relatively comfortable for Real Madrid if they approach it with the right focus. Both Bellingham and Mbappe will fancy their chances of adding to their goal collections this Sunday. Málaga CF's next fixture after this match is against Athletic Club, at home, on November 29, 2026, a fact you can check on our fixtures page.
The predicted lineup, reported by sports.yahoo.com, underlines Mourinho's bet on continuity during a packed early league schedule. The team now faces a key phase before the next international break, with every point vital to building an early advantage. The full squad is available for review in our squad section. Málaga CF will visit the Santiago Bernabéu looking to spring a surprise on a Real Madrid side chasing a third straight win.
