As La Liga’s 2025/26 season heats up, all eyes are on the Santiago Bernabéu for a mouthwatering clash between league leaders Real Madrid and third-placed RCD Espanyol on Saturday, September 20, 2025. With kick-off set for 17:15 CEST (10:15 ET), this fixture pits Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Los Blancos against Manolo González’s surprise package, who boast 10 points from their opening four games. Will Madrid extend their perfect start, or can Espanyol pull off a statement win at one of Europe’s most intimidating venues? Dive into our comprehensive Real Madrid vs Espanyol match preview, complete with head-to-head stats, predicted lineups, score prediction and more.
Match Details
- Date and Time: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 17:15 CEST (10:15 ET)
- Venue: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
- Competition: La Liga 2025/26, Matchday 5
- How to Watch: Tune into La Liga’s official broadcasters worldwide, including ESPN+ in the US, DAZN in select regions, or streaming platforms like FuboTV. Live updates and highlights will be available on the official La Liga app.
This early-season showdown could define both teams’ title aspirations, with Madrid chasing a fifth straight win and Espanyol aiming to crash the top-two party.
Team News
Real Madrid
Real Madrid have stormed out of the blocks in the 2025/26 campaign, sitting atop the La Liga table with 12 points from four wins. Their latest triumph was a gritty 2-1 away victory over Real Sociedad on September 13, where Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler scored in a match reduced to 10 men after Dean Huijsen’s controversial red card. Earlier results include a 1-0 home win over Osasuna (Mbappé penalty), a 3-0 thrashing of newly promoted Oviedo (Mbappé brace, Vinícius Júnior goal), and a 2-1 comeback against Mallorca (Güler and Vinícius on target).
Midweek, Alonso’s side kicked off their Champions League defense with a 2-1 home win over Marseille, again powered by Mbappé’s brace. The French superstar leads the Pichichi race with six league goals already.
RCD Espanyol
Espanyol have been the season’s early revelation, amassing 10 points from four games to sit third behind Barcelona. Their form includes three wins and one draw, highlighted by a thrilling 3-2 home victory over Mallorca last weekend—despite top scorer Pere Milla’s first-half red card, which rules him out here. Kike García stepped up with a penalty clincher in that match. Other results: Wins over Valladolid (2-0), Rayo Vallecano (1-0), and a 2-2 draw at Valencia.
Manolo González’s side has scored eight goals while conceding just three, showcasing a potent attack led by Javi Puado and Roberto Fernández. Defensively solid with Marko Dmitrović in goal, they’ve covered a +2.25 handicap in 20 straight games.
Head-to-Head
Real Madrid hold a commanding historical advantage over Espanyol, with 117 wins from 199 meetings across all competitions (Espanyol 46 wins, 36 draws). In La Liga specifically, Madrid have triumphed 108 times in 178 clashes—the most victories by any team against a single opponent in the competition’s history. Espanyol have suffered 108 defeats against Madrid in the top flight, the highest tally for any club.
Los Blancos have scored 394 La Liga goals against Espanyol’s 198, including a staggering 115 in 43 straight home wins without conceding at the Bernabéu. Their longest home winning streak vs Espanyol now stands at 10 games. Recent form favors Madrid: Four wins in the last five league meetings, including 3-1 home and away in 2022/23, and a 4-1 Bernabéu rout in September 2024.
Notably, Espanyol’s last win at the Bernabéu dates back to 1996, and in their most recent encounter on February 1, 2025, Espanyol stunned Madrid 1-0 away—thanks to a late Carlos Romero strike. Raúl holds the all-time scoring record in this fixture (17 goals), followed by Alfredo Di Stéfano (16) and Cristiano Ronaldo (15).
| Head-to-Head (Last 5 La Liga Meetings) | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Espanyol 1-0 Real Madrid | Feb 2025 | Espanyol Win |
| Real Madrid 4-1 Espanyol | Sep 2024 | Real Madrid Win |
| Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid | Apr 2023 | Real Madrid Win |
| Real Madrid 3-1 Espanyol | Dec 2022 | Real Madrid Win |
| Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid | Jan 2022 | Real Madrid Win |
Madrid’s dominance is clear, but Espanyol’s recent upset adds intrigue.
Potential Lineups
Real Madrid Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
With defensive injuries forcing improvisation, Alonso is expected to recall Vinícius Júnior after his midweek bench role. Bellingham could ease in from the bench.
- GK: Thibaut Courtois
- DEF: Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Raúl Asencio, Álvaro Carreras
- MID: Fede Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni
- ATT MID: Brahim Díaz, Arda Güler, Vinícius Júnior
- FW: Kylian Mbappé
Espanyol Predicted XI (4-4-1-1)
Milla’s suspension hands Kike García a start, with González sticking to a compact midfield to frustrate Madrid.
- GK: Marko Dmitrović
- DEF: Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero
- MID: Tyrhys Dolan, Urko González, Pol Lozano, Javi Puado
- ATT MID: Edu Expósito
- FW: Roberto Fernández (or Kike García up top)
Score Prediction
Real Madrid’s firepower, led by Mbappé (six goals in five games), should overwhelm Espanyol’s depleted attack. Despite the visitors’ strong start, their historical struggles at the Bernabéu (no win since 1996) and Madrid’s 10-game home winning streak in this fixture point to a comfortable victory. Our model simulates a clean-sheet win, with under 2.5 goals likely given Madrid’s recent low-scoring affairs (BTTS in just two of four). Odds favor Madrid at -500, but value lies in Espanyol +2.25 (-125) for a competitive showing.