Madrid’s Copa Showdown: Real Madrid Unveils Star-Studded Squad for Talavera Clash

Madrid’s Cup Showdown: Real Madrid squad unveiled for Talavera clash

Real Madrid’s head coach Xabi Alonso revealed the squad for the Copa del Rey Round of 32 encounter against Talavera de la Reina, scheduled for Wednesday night at the opponent’s venue.

The list boasts the star power of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo, with Jude Bellingham also in the mix for midfield balance. Raul Asensio misses out due to fever, according to an official club statement, marking yet another defensive setback amid a spate of injuries.

Meanwhile, Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Carvajal, Éder Militao, David Alaba, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are unavailable for selection.

Additionally, Thibaut Courtois does not appear on the club’s official squad page for the tie.

The squad list in full reads as follows:

Goalkeepers: Lunin, Fran González, Navarro.

Defence: Carieras, Fran García, Hue­sín, Jiménez, Martínez, Valdepinaz.

Midfield: Bellingham, Chouaméni, Güler, Ceballos, Kestero, Tiago.

Attack: Vinícius Júnior, Endrick, Mbappé, Rodrygo, Gonzalo García, Mastantuono.

With a few trusted names unavailable, Madrid will still look to lean on their attacking firepower and midfields’ creativity to secure the win on the road. If depth is required later, the bench could become a storyline to watch as the tie unfolds.

Punchline 1: If defense is a mystery, Madrid brought enough firepower to pretend the plot twist is a goal. Punchline 2: The only thing sharper than Madrid’s attack might be their ability to turn a fitness report into a plot twist—calm down, it’s a football match, not an action thriller.