Olympiacos vs Real Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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Greek champions Olympiacos will be expected to be competitive, especially with home advantage, against the inconsistent 15-time European champions Real Madrid.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Olympiacos preview: Strong in Europe
Having won the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League with Sevilla, Jose Luis Mendilibar then led Olympiacos to the 2023/24 UEFA Europa Conference League title and the Greeks will believe they can be more than competitive in the UEFA Champions League this season.
In their opening four matches of this season’s league phase, Olympiacos have shared two draws and suffered two defeats. They have drawn at home to Pafos and PSV Eindhoven, while losing to Arsenal and Barcelona.
Real Madrid preview: Pressure on Xabi
Despite having won El Clasico last month and remaining at the top-of-the-table in La Liga, there is growing pressure on Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, amid suggestions quite a lot of the squad are not getting on too well with the former Bayer Leverkusen boss.
Los Blancos returned from the November international break with a frustrating 2-2 draw against surprise package Elche at the weekend, meaning that they have now suffered just one defeat in their last four matches across all competitions.
Olympiacos team news: El Kaabi crucial
El Kaabi up top will be crucial to Olympiacos' success in this game, as will attacking midfielder Daniel Podence.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Mouzakitis, Garcia; Martins, Chiquinho, Podence; El Kaabi
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Real Madrid team news: Plenty of injuries
Real Madrid have plenty of injury concerns for this one, with several confirmed absentees including Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen, whilst first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is sidelined with gastroenteritis.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Tchouameni, Carreras; Valverde, Camavinga; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe
Unavailable: Courtois (Illness), Alaba (Injured), Huijsen (Injured), Militao (Injured), Rudiger (Injured), Carvajal (Injured), Mastantuono (Injured)
Questionable: Mastantuono (Injured)
Olympiacos vs Real Madrid prediction
Olympiacos’ style in Europe has been extremely effective in the last couple of years. Capable of being efficient on the counter-attack, they will fancy their chances of getting at a Madris side that are clearly struggling for general cohesion in defence, and are far too inconsistent in the final third. Madrid should still be capable of easing to a comfortable victory in Piraeus but Olympiacos will fancy themselves to bloody the nose of Europe’s kings.
Olympiacos vs Real Madrid Tip: Real Madrid to win & both teams to score
