Real Madrid are seeking to end their winless streak when they face Greek giants Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Los Blancos have failed to claim victory in any of their last three matches, starting with a tepid European defeat to Liverpool and followed by underwhelming draws with Rayo Vallecano and Elche in La Liga. While they still lead Spain’s top flight, their Anfield defeat has seen them drop to seventh in the Champions League league phase table.
Madrid will be desperate for redemption on Wednesday as tensions rise in Spain’s capital, with the ongoing conflict between Vinícius Júnior and Xabi Alonso hanging over their heads. Victory in Piraeus would quieten some of the outside noise.
Olympiacos are favorable opposition considering their European record this season, with two draws and two defeats from their league phase excursions. They have been hit for six by Barcelona, swept aside by Arsenal and frustrated by both Pafos and PSV Eindhoven.
José Luis Mendilibar, who spent almost three decades managing in Spain, will be without the services of Alexandros Paschalakis, Bruno Onyemaechi and Konstantinos Angelakis for the visit of Madrid—a side he has only beaten twice as a coach in 25 past meetings.
The 64-year-old will be reliant on the goalscoring prowess of Ayoub El Kaabi if Olympiacos are to pull off a major upset, with the Moroccan having scored 71 times since joining the Greek side in 2023. Ten of those strikes have come this season.
Olympiacos predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Hezze, García; Martins, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi.
Madrid will be without a host of players for the trip to Athens, with Thibaut Courtois having pulled out of the traveling party due to illness. That will result in a first appearance of the season for backup stopper Andriy Lunin.
Dean Huijsen is also missing for Madrid to add to a lengthy list of defensive absentees, with the Spaniard absent from team training on Tuesday and omitted from the squad. He joins fellow center backs Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba on the sidelines, with Raúl Asencio the club’s only orthodox senior option in the position.
Aurélien Tchouaméni has been absent in recent matches but will travel to Greece, potentially re-entering the lineup at center back.
Vinícius, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde should all return to the XI having been benched against Elche.
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Olympiacos (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Tchouaméni, Asencio, Carreras; Güler, Valverde, Camavinga; Bellingham; Vinícius, Mbappé.
