Marc Cucurella will make his first appearance in a Real Madrid starting lineup when they host Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

Real Madrid will aim to continue the perfect start to the 2026/27 season when they welcome Malaga to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday evening. Jose Mourinho has no new issues to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.

Aurelien Tchouameni is still not a part of the matchday squad as he continues to build his fitness after his excursions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Eder Militao (thigh), Ferland Mendy (ligament), Raul Asencio (muscle), Thiago Pitarch (knee), Endrick (muscle), and Rodrygo (ACL) remain in the treatment room.

During his pre-match press conference, Mourinho provided fitness updates on several players. The Portuguese tactician said, “Endrick is close. Out of everyone, he is the closest to returning, but I don’t want to take risks. I don’t want to risk saying he might be ready for Betis, but he could be ready for Betis or maybe for the first Champions match.”

“The other processes are more complicated, like Militao, Rodrygo, or Asencio. In Tchouameni’s case, we have to manage emotions because I don’t want him, driven by his desire to play, to come in and then have to step out again. He played in the World Cup, stopped, and then played again in the semifinal. I don’t want to start the season in August with a situation like this. I prefer to wait a bit and have Tchouameni in good shape, as he is an important player for us.”

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 Malaga on Sunday. The backline will feature Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Antonio Rudiger, and Marc Cucurella.

As for the midfield unit, Bernardo Silva and Federico Valverde will continue their partnership in the double pivot, with Jude Bellingham reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for the home side, with Vinicius Junior and Arda Guler completing the numbers in the offensive third.

Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Rudiger, Cucurella; Valverde, Silva; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe