Real Madrid vs Marseille Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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15-time European champions Real Madrid host an entertaining but combustible and unpredictable Olympique de Marseille side to the Bernabeu in the Spanish capital city.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Real Madrid preview: Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos
A new era has begun at Real Madrid this year, with Xabi Alonso returning to the Bernabeu to try and propel Los Blancos back to the summit of Spanish and European football, after a magnificent stint in charge of Bayer Leverkusen.
Performances may not have been as exciting as many would have hoped for just yet, but results have been strong for Madrid this season, with a 2-1 win in the Basque Country against Real Sociedad the other day making it four wins from four games in La Liga.
Marseille preview: De Zerbi’s Marseille
Olympique de Marseille once again embarked upon a busy summer transfer window, with Roberto De Zerbi’s entertaining southerners seeking to sustain a challenge for the French title this season, but they remain a way off Paris Saint-Germain.
Their hostile approach, that can be brilliant to watch and extremely entertaining and high-scoring, is also very unpredictable. They were at their best at the weekend, though, as they hammered Lorient by four goals to nil at Stade Velodrome.
Real Madrid team news: A few absentees
Real Madrid are dealing with a few injury absentees for this one, with England international midfielder Jude Bellingham still sidelined alongside the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouameni, Valverde; Brahim, Guler, Vinicius; Mbappe
Unavailable: Rudiger (Injured), Mendy (Injured), Camavinga (Injured), Bellingham (Injured), Endrick (Injured)
Questionable:
Marseille team news: Gouiri a doubt
De Zerbi is blessed with an abundance of attacking options in his squad, but he will have concerns over the fitness of Amine Gouiri, who is a doubt for Marseille this week.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rulli; Murillo, Pavard, Aguerd, Medina; Gomes, Kondogbia; Greenwood, Nadir, Weah; Paixao
Unavailable:
Questionable: Gouiri (Injured)
Real Madrid vs Marseille prediction
Marseille have a remarkably impressive squad for a team in Ligue 1 not named PSG, with the likes of Leonardo Balerdi, Emerson Palmieri, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Arthur Vermeeren, Hamed Junior Traore, Matt O’Riley, Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all on the bench the other day. Xabi Alonso also has a deep and impressive squad and, with their home advantage, will fancy themselves to win the game, but it may not be straightforward for the Spaniards.
Real Madrid vs Marseille Tip: Real Madrid to win & both teams to score
