Real Madrid are back at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, hoping to bounce back from successive defeats when they take on Osasuna. Barca’s trip to the Reale Arena is the headline act though on the final round of fixtures before the international break. Here are our LaLiga predicted lineups for matchday 13, featuring all the clubs in action this weekend.
There will only be nine games, with Valencia’s match away to Espanyol postponed. Villarreal’s home game against Alaves in the Valencian region, which has been hit by devastating flooding, is still expected to go ahead.
Rayo’s game at Villarreal was called off last weekend, so their two suspensions roll over into this game. Aridane is expected to replace the banned Abdul Mumin in defence. Meanwhile Gerard Gumbau and Pathe Ciss are the main options to come in for Unai Lopez in midfield. Otherwise, we may not see any alterations to the side that defeated Alaves with 10 men last time out in Vallecas.
Rayo Vallecano predicted lineup: Batalla – Chavarria, Aridane, Lejeune, Ratiu – Gumbau, Valentin – Alvaro Garcia, Isi Palazon, De Frutos – Camello (4-2-3-1)
Las Palmas lost for the first time under Diego Martinez last weekend against Atletico Madrid, but we’re not likely to see many changes here, given the strong start he has made overall. Manu Fuster could potentially replace Sandro on the right flank in a more favourable fixture, but we can expect the former Granada boss to largely focus on continuity elsewhere.
Las Palmas predicted lineup: Cillessen – Alex Muñoz, McKenna, Suarez, Rozada – Campaña, Essugo – Moleiro, Kirian, Fuster – Fabio Silva (4-2-3-1)
It doesn’t take much to spark talk of a crisis at Real Madrid, but home defeats against Barcelona and Milan with seven conceded in their last two matches has set the alarm bells ringing. They were dreadful in midweek and we’re likely to see a few changes here. Eduardo Camavinga should replace the injured Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield. Luka Modric may also make way, with the fit again Rodrygo potentially coming in to make it a 4-3-3 again. There are also doubts as to who will start at left-back and in goal with Thibaut Courtois nearing fitness, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be ready to feature.
Real Madrid predicted lineup: Lunin – Garcia, Rudiger, Militao, Vazquez – Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde – Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo (4-3-3)
There was a big win in midweek with a rotated eleven for Osasuna in the Copa del Rey, but that should have little impact on their starting side in the league which has been very settled. They should have a full squad available here, so we could see Vicente Moreno go with an unchanged eleven from the team that defeated Real Valladolid. There is slight uncertainty at left-back though, with Juan Cruz preferred to Abel Bretones in recent games.
Osasuna predicted lineup: Herrera – Cruz, Boyomo, Catena, Areso – Torro, Moncayola – Bryan Zaragoza, Oroz, Ruben Peña – Budimir (4-2-3-1)
A fortnight has passed since Villarreal’s last league game after their fixture last weekend was postponed. That has enabled Marcelino to get some players back with their injury problems easing. Eric Bailly is available again and is pushing Raul Albiol for a start at the back, while Ayoze Perez should be ready to start this game, having come off the bench to net another late winner in Valladolid last time out. That was his seventh goal already this term in La Liga.
Villarreal predicted lineup: Conde – Cardona, Costa, Albiol, Femenia – Baena, Parejo, Comesaña, Ilias – Barry, Ayoze (4-4-2)
It was five straight league defeats for Alaves before they stopped the rot with a much needed 1-0 home win against Mallorca last Friday in a much improved display. You’d imagine Luis Garcia won’t want to change too much from that eleven, but Carlos Benavidez has picked up an injury, so there’ll definitely be a new face in midfield. Kike Garcia was preferred to Toni Martinez up front in that game, but it’s unclear whether he’ll keep his place at the Ceramica.
Alaves predicted lineup: Sivera – Sanchez, Pica, Abqar, Tenaglia – Blanco, Guevara – Rebbach, Guridi, Vicente – Kike Garcia (4-2-3-1)
Leganes scored just six goals in 10 matches to open their campaign, but they’ve now scored six in just 120 minutes of league football heading into this. A 3-0 win over Celta, was followed by a 4-3 defeat at Girona, but they have massively outperformed their xG over those last two games, so it may not be a clear sign that the tide has turned in terms of their attacking play. Borja Jimenez has tended to chop and change his side, so it’s never easy trying to second guess what he will do. He’ll be forced into at least one change with Yvan Neyou suspended, while he also has fitness doubts over the likes of Jorge Saenz and Sebastien Haller.
Leganes predicted lineup: Dmitrovic – Hernandez, Nastasic, Sergio – Franquesa, Brasanac, Tapia, Cisse, Altimira – De la Fuente, Cruz (3-5-2)
Orjan Nyland is still out for Sevilla, so they’ll have Alvaro Fernandez in goal again on Saturday at Butarque. Loic Bade’s potential participation is less clear, so there’s uncertainty as to who will start in central defence. Should Garcia Pimienta choose to mix things up following a home defeat last time out, Djibril Sow is a fresh option in midfield, while we’re likely to see either Peque or Jesus Navas come into the side out wide, given Stanis Idumbo is out injured.
Sevilla predicted lineup: Fernandez – Pedrosa, Salas, Marcao, Carmona – Gudelj, Lokonga, Juanlu – Peque, Romero, Lukebakio (4-3-3)
Manuel Pellegrini rested a number of players in the Conference League, so we should see a number of regulars return here. Natan is an injury doubt, so Marc Bartra may continue in central defence. Giovani Lo Celso is nearing fitness, but is not expected to start, so they should go 4-4-2 again. Vitor Roque didn’t start against Cejle, so he’s likely to be one of the two strikers with Chimy Avila and Cedric Bakambu the main candidates for the other place up top.
Real Betis predicted lineup: Silva – Perraud, Bartra, Llorente, Bellerin – Abde, Cardoso, Altimira, Fornals – Avila, Roque (4-4-2)
Celta bounced back from a slight dip in form, with a 1-0 home win over Getafe on Monday. Hugo Alvarez was a surprise exclusion from that side and Mihailo Ristic will be hoping to keep his place here on the left flank. Jonathan Bamba and Tasos Douvikas also started that game in attack, with the Greek international scoring the only goal, so it’s possible we’ll see a very similar eleven on Sunday, although Claudio Giraldez is prone to changing things.
Celta Vigo predicted lineup: Guaita – Alonso, Starfelt, Manquillo – Ristic, Beltran, Sotelo, Mingueza – Bamba, Aspas – Douvikas (3-4-2-1)
Mallorca left several important players out and put in perhaps their worst performance under Jagoba Arrasate so far at Alaves on the previous matchday. We’re likely to see Martin Valjent, Vedat Muriqi, Sergi Darder and Johan Mojica return to the lineup here, while Dominik Greif may also be recalled in goal. It remains a close battle between him and Leo Roman for supremacy though, and another start for the younger keeper is possible and would signal a shift towards the 24-year-old.
Mallorca predicted lineup: Greif – Mojica, Raillo, Valjent, Maffeo – Samu Costa, Morlanes – Dani Rodriguez, Darder, Navarro – Muriqi (4-2-3-1)
While they certainly rode their luck at times, Atletico Madrid picked up a massive win at PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday. This will be a very different kind of test though and we should expect changes to that eleven, with Koke and Alexander Sorloth potentially coming in. The 4-4-2 is likely to continue and so might Giovani Simeone who scored his first Atleti goal last weekend and has looked lively. Marcos Llorente may be fit enough to feature following injury, but is not expected to start.
Atletico Madrid predicted lineup: Oblak – Galan, Lenglet, Gimenez, Molina – Lino, Barrios, Koke, Simeone – Griezmann, Sorloth (4-4-2)
Pepe Bordalas’ Getafe are LaLiga’s joint lowest goalscorers and they aren’t helped by the continued injury problems for strikers Borja Mayoral and Bertug Yildirim. Both are rated doubtful for this game, with Alvaro Rodriguez the likely starter up top should neither be passed fit. Otherwise few changes are expected from the side that lost in Vigo.
Getafe predicted lineup: Soria – Rico, Alderete, Djene, Nyom – Sola, Arambarri, Milla, Perez – Uche – Alvaro Rodriguez (4-4-1-1)
It was a miserable midweek for Girona who crashed to a 4-0 defeat against PSV in the Champions League. Injuries have compounded their struggles so far this season and they are still missing a host of players this weekend. That will severely limit Michel’s options in terms of potential rotation, so most of the players that toiled in Eindhoven will need to go again here.
Girona predicted lineup: Gazzaniga – Blind, Krejci, David Lopez – Miguel, Van de Beek, Romeu, Herrera, Arnau Martinez – Gil – Miovski (3-5-1-1)
There are few selection issues for Real Valladolid right now, with Juanmi Latasa their only notable fitness concern heading into this. It’s possible we could see some light changes, with Ivan Sanchez potentially getting the nod on the left flank, but Paulo Pezzolano isn’t expected to totally rock the boat having been quite consistent with his selection in recent games.
Real Valladolid predicted lineup: Hein – Rosa, Torres, Sanchez, L. Perez – Martin, Comert, Amallah – Ivan Sanchez, Sylla, Moro (4-3-3)
Athletic were in Europa League action on Thursday evening in Bulgaria, so this is a quick turnaround for Ernesto Valverde and his side. They have fitness concerns over Gorka Guruzeta, Oihan Sancet and Mikel Jauregizar and we are likely to see some light rotation from the side that won 2-1 against Ludogorets. Yeray and Oscar De Marcos are likely to return in defence, while Yuri may potentially be in line for a rest. Further up the pitch, much will depend on who is passed fit, but right now it seems as though Valverde is in no mood to rest either of the Williams brothers.
Athletic Club predicted lineup: Agirrezabala – Lekue, Yeray, Vivian, De Marcos – Herrera, Ruiz de Galarreta – Nico Williams, Berenguer, Iñaki Williams – Djalo (4-2-3-1)
Real Sociedad are struggling for consistency currently, with a good win in Seville last weekend, followed by defeat in Plzen on Thursday in the Europa League. Nayef Aguerd is a fresh injury concern following that game and his participation on Sunday is unclear, with Jon Pacheco potentially coming in. Orri Oskarsson scored in that one, but it may not be enough to secure him another start against Barcelona.
Real Sociedad predicted lineup: Remiro – Javi Lopez, Pacheco, Zubeldia, Aramburu – Brais Mendez, Zubimendi, Sucic – Sergio Gomez, Oyarzabal, Kubo (4-3-3)
This is a tough fixture for Barca and with the international break to soon provide a bit of respite, there’s little suggestion that Hansi Flick will do anything other than name his strongest available lineup. He has a doubt over Pau Cubarsi who needed multiple stitches in his face after a collision in midweek. The other doubt is in midfield where in-form Marc Casado may be preferred to Frenkie de Jong.
Barcelona predicted lineup: Peña – Balde, Martinez, Cubarsi, Kounde – Pedri, Casado – Raphinha, Olmo, Lamine Yamal – Lewandowski (4-2-3-1)
