This Wednesday, Real Madrid will play their fifth match in the group stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, facing Olympiacos in Athens. Despite being a crucial match for securing direct qualification to the round of 16, some key players for Los Blancos will not start, including Jude Bellingham.
A little over an hour before kickoff, Real Madrid announced their starting XI, and the English midfielder does not appear in it, instead being listed among the substitutes. This is part of a tactical decision by head coach Xabi Alonso, who opted for a midfield with more physicality and defensive work rate.
Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Arda Guler will start in midfield against Olympiacos in the Champions League, while Bellingham will wait for his opportunity on the bench.
In Real Madrid’s starting lineup, the absence of Thibaut Courtois also stands out. The goalkeeper is not only missing from the XI but also did not travel to Greece due to a viral gastrointestinal infection. As a result, Andriy Lunin will start in goal on Wednesday. Other key players absent from the squad include Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Eder Militao, Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal, and Franco Mastantuono.
Confirmed lineup for Olympiacos
Like Real Madrid, Olympiacos also have their confirmed lineup for Wednesday’s match. Head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar selected the following XI: Konstantinos Tzolakis; Rodinei, Panagiotis Retsos, Lorenzo Pirola, Francisco Ortega; Christos Mouzakitis, Dani Garcia; Daniel Podence, Chiquinho, Gelson Martins; Ayoub El Kaabi.
Important clash for both sides in the Champions League
Real Madrid’s situation in the Champions League is completely different from Olympiacos. The Spanish side started the tournament strongly, with three consecutive wins, although a defeat against Liverpool prevented them from staying at the top of the group standings.
Given this scenario, they are currently outside the direct qualification spots for the round of 16, but a victory would return them there, with only three matches remaining in this stage.
On the other hand, Olympiacos had a disappointing start with two draws and two losses, and they are one of only six teams that have yet to win a match. Their margin for error is shrinking, and if they want to get closer to the playoff spots, they must secure a victory this Wednesday.
