Dani Carvajal and David Alaba will play for the final time for Real Madrid when they host Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Real Madrid will aim to end a dreadful 2025/26 campaign on a high note when they welcome Athletic Club to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night. Alvaro Arbeloa has no new injury concerns to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Ferland Mendy (ligament), Eder Militao (hamstring), Arda Guler (thigh), and Rodrygo (knee) remain in the treatment room, and they have played for the final time this season. However, the focus will be on David Alaba and Dani Carvajal, as the Spanish giants have announced their upcoming summer exit as free agents.
So, the duo should feature in some capacity on Saturday as they prepare for their Bernabeu farewells. However, Vinicius Junior will not be available to take on Athletic Club, with the club giving him leave due to a personal matter. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arbeloa discussed Carvajal’s spell with Los Blancos and paid a tribute to his compatriot.
The Real Madrid head coach said, “He is a symbol of what a Real Madrid player should be. The fact that he is a homegrown player and laid the first stone in the Real Madrid Sports City makes him a truly special and unique player, and he is a source of pride for all madridistas. Tomorrow will be a very special day for all of us to pay tribute to him and give him the ovation he deserves.”
“Tomorrow he will start, and I’m sure that when he is substituted and receives that great tribute at the end of the match, everyone will stand up. Dani will have a beautiful memory of tomorrow and of the affection the fans will show him. I am sure that when he looks back, he will be very proud of what he has done for Real Madrid over so many years. We madridistas have been very fortunate to have been able to enjoy Dani Carvajal.”
Thibaut Courtois is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Real Madrid lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Athletic Club on Saturday. The backline will feature Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, and Fran Garcia.
As for the midfield unit, Federico Valverde, who will be available after recovering from a head injury, will line up alongside Aurelien Tchouameni in the double pivot, with Jude Bellingham reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for the home side against Athletic Club, with Brahim Diaz and Franco Mastantuono completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Fran Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni; Mastantuono, Bellingham, Brahim Diaz; Mbappe
