Projected Real Madrid Lineup Against Real Betis
A departing Real Madrid legend will play his final La Liga game for the club on Saturday when the champions host Real Betis at the Bernabeu in their closing league fixture.
Long-serving midfielder Toni Kroos has announced his retirement from professional football after the Euros this summer, leaving him with just two games left in Real Madrid’s iconic white strip. His final appearance will be in June’s Champions League final.
Kroos is expected to be one of several key players returning to Carlo Ancelotti’s starting lineup, following numerous changes made for last weekend’s 4-4 thriller against Villarreal.
Federico Valverde is anticipated to be one of only two players retaining their starting positions from that draw, with Kroos and Eduardo Camavinga set to replace Dani Ceballos and Luka Modric. Modric is expected to sign a new one-year deal instead of retiring alongside Kroos.
Arda Guler impressed with a brace against Villarreal, and Joselu scored his 10th league goal of the season, but Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are expected to return to the attack alongside Jude Bellingham, pushing Brahim Diaz to the bench.
Antonio Rudiger is likely to keep his place in the starting XI, joined by Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, and Nacho Fernandez, who is also set to play his final La Liga match for Real Madrid. Thibaut Courtois will be back in goal.
David Alaba (ACL) and Aurelien Tchouameni (foot) are the only absentees for Los Blancos, though Tchouameni is hopeful of being fit for the Champions League final.
Projected Real Madrid starting lineup: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
