Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alavés: Tchouameni set for key return

Real Madrid’s next team sheet matters more than usual. Tuesday night’s game against Alavés is not just another league fixture at the Bernabéu. It is the team’s first match since its European setback, and it arrives with the crowd ready to judge how Álvaro Arbeloa’s side responds under pressure.

That is why the Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alavés has real weight. Mundo Deportivo reports that Arbeloa is not expected to make sweeping changes, but one return stands out immediately: Aurélien Tchouameni is set to come back into the side after missing the trip to Munich through suspension.

The Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alavés points to a strong response

The broad message from the selection is simple: Real Madrid are expected to go with something close to their strongest available team. According to Mundo Deportivo, Arbeloa is without the injured Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo, while Raúl Asencio is still recovering from gastric issues. The club’s official squad list also confirms that the available group includes Lunin, Militão, Rüdiger, Trent, Álvaro Carreras, Mendy, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Arda Güler, Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., Brahim, Thiago and others for the match at the Bernabéu.

That matters because Arbeloa is not framing this as a night for excuses or emotional recovery. Real Madrid’s official preview says there are only seven league matches left and quotes the coach saying the team needs to win all seven. In other words, this is being treated as a live competitive mission, not a soft landing after Europe.

Mundo Deportivo’s read on the likely XI supports that idea. Rather than rotating heavily, the expectation is that Madrid will largely trust the same core, with only a few targeted changes. That makes this lineup feel less like experimentation and more like an attempt to restore authority quickly in front of the home crowd.

Tchouameni is the headline change

The biggest takeaway from the report is Tchouameni’s return. Mundo Deportivo calls him the main new element in the side after he was unable to play in Munich because of suspension. That alone gives the midfield a different look, because he is the player most naturally suited to adding control, defensive cover, and cleaner balance in transition.

For Madrid, that is not a minor adjustment. Tchouameni’s presence usually gives Federico Valverde more freedom to press and cover ground, while also reducing the amount of emergency defending asked from Jude Bellingham. In a match where Madrid are expected to dominate possession but also manage tension inside the stadium, that kind of structure could matter as much as individual brilliance. This is an inference based on Tchouameni’s expected return and the midfield options named in the source reports.

There is also a timing angle here. Real Madrid’s official preview highlights Arda Güler’s excellent form after his brace in Munich, so Arbeloa has at least one in-form attacking midfielder arriving with momentum. Putting Tchouameni back behind that attacking talent would give Madrid a more stable platform than they had without him.

The expected XI and the biggest selection questions

Mundo Deportivo’s projected lineup is: Lunin; Trent, Militão, Rüdiger, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Arda Güler, Mbappé and Vinicius.

There are several interesting details inside that prediction. The first is at left back, where Carreras is expected to return in place of Mendy. The second is the continued trust in Arda, whose attacking form gives Arbeloa a reason to keep him in a meaningful role. The third is up front, where Mbappé and Vinicius are again expected to start together despite the scrutiny that followed the trip to Munich.

The midfield call is where the article leaves some room for debate. Mundo Deportivo says one of the remaining questions is whether Arbeloa will keep Bellingham in midfield or turn instead to Thiago or Brahim to complete the unit. Even so, the outlet’s final projected XI still includes Bellingham, which suggests he remains the likeliest choice even if not an entirely uncontested one.

That wrinkle is important because it says something about the current state of the team. On one hand, Madrid need continuity. On the other, they are still searching for the exact blend that gives them control without losing attacking threat. If Bellingham starts, it points to Arbeloa trusting his all-action influence in a high-pressure game. If there is a late change toward Brahim or Thiago, it would suggest the coach wants a slightly different rhythm in possession. This is an inference from the selection uncertainty described by Mundo Deportivo.

Why Arda Güler could be central again

Arda’s place in the predicted XI deserves its own attention. Real Madrid’s official match preview specifically notes that he heads into the Alavés game after scoring twice in Munich, and that gives this lineup a fresh edge.

This is where the expected team becomes more interesting than a standard “possible XI” story. If Arbeloa keeps Arda in the lineup alongside Mbappé and Vinicius, Madrid are signaling a desire to play with more invention rather than simply more muscle. That combination would ask Valverde and Tchouameni to provide the floor, while Arda and Bellingham connect the game to the front line. Again, that is an inference, but it fits the personnel named in the projection.

What this means for Real Madrid

The larger significance of the Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alavés is that it does not look like a panic reaction. It looks like a coach trying to re-establish order with his best available pieces. Tchouameni returns, Carreras is expected to step in at left back, and the most high-profile attackers keep their places. That feels like a message to the Bernabéu as much as to Alavés: the team intends to answer with authority, not hide behind rotation.

It also sets up several broader storylines that will matter beyond this one match. How Arda is used, whether Bellingham keeps his midfield place, how secure Carreras looks at left back, and whether Mbappé and Vinicius can produce a cleaner attacking performance are all themes that could carry into the closing weeks of the season. Those are the kinds of selection battles Real Madrid fans will keep tracking closely across the site, especially with summer planning and next-season roles already hovering in the background.

For now, the clearest conclusion is that the Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alavés is shaping up around one major return and one major demand. Tchouameni is back, the margin for error is thin, and Madrid need a response that looks convincing from the first whistle.

Sources Used:

• Mundo Deportivo (https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/real-madrid/20260421/1004172953/posible-once-real-madrid-alaves.html)
• Real Madrid CF (https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/news/football/first-team/squad-call/convocatoria-del-real-madrid-frente-al-alaves-21-04-2026)
• Real Madrid CF (https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/news/football/first-team/fixtures/real-madrid-alaves-vuelve-la-liga-21-04-2026)