Real Madrid lineup: Vinicius and Mastantuono start in 4-3-3 vs Mallorca

Vinicius Jr is back where he loves to be—under the Bernabéu lights and in the starting XI. After a jolt from the bench last time out, the Brazilian forward has been restored to the front three for Real Madrid’s home meeting with Mallorca, a game that doubles as a test of form and a test of authority. The confirmed XI says plenty about the manager’s plan: a bold 4-3-3 built on energy, young talent, and big-match personalities. For a team chasing a perfect start, the Real Madrid lineup is as headline-grabbing as it is intriguing.

Alonso’s selection call and the message behind it

Xabi Alonso made waves in the previous match by leaving Vinicius on the bench. It was not punishment as much as a standard-setting call. Form matters, and the Brazilian’s level had dipped since missing out on the Ballon d’Or. Then he came on and flipped the script—one goal, one assist, and a reminder that he still bends games to his will. Today’s start rewards that response and keeps the competition sharp.

Up top, Kylian Mbappé remains the focal point. He has already started his league campaign with two goals and looks comfortable as the central forward, sprinting into space and forcing back lines to retreat. Alongside him, 17-year-old Franco Mastantuono starts on the right. That choice is brave and deliberate. The youngster offers quick feet, a low center of gravity, and the willingness to take risks—exactly what a front line needs against a compact opponent.

Arda Güler slots into midfield as the creative balance. He is the glue between the lines, the player who can receive on the half-turn and find a winger early or slip Mbappé in behind with one touch. With Aurelien Tchouameni anchoring and Fede Valverde covering ground, Madrid have structure around that creativity. Tchouameni protects transitions and breaks up counters; Valverde can drive the ball 30 meters when the game needs a jolt or slide wide to support the right flank.

At the back, Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back signals an inside-out approach in possession. Expect him to step into midfield zones, vary his passing angles, and switch play early to Vinicius when Mallorca compress the middle. On the left, Álex Carreras offers the more traditional full-back run, pushing high to pin his winger and open the half-space for Güler or Vinicius to attack. Éder Militão brings recovery pace and aerial security, while Dean Huijsen’s composure on the ball helps Madrid build cleanly from deep.

Thibaut Courtois returns as the calm at the back. His presence alone changes the risk threshold when Madrid hold a high line. With him sweeping and Militao reading second balls, Alonso can keep the team aggressive without losing defensive control.

Look at the bench and you see why Madrid can morph mid-game: Rodrygo and Brahim can flip the rhythm up front; Dani Carvajal and David Alaba add stability or leadership if the game turns scrappy; Antonio Rüdiger gives steel in a low-block finish; Dani Ceballos can slow or speed the tempo in midfield; Fran García provides fresh legs at left-back. Alonso has multiple ways to chase a goal or protect one without breaking shape.

How the 4-3-3 should break Mallorca’s block

Mallorca arrive wounded. The season opened with a loss to Hansi Flick’s Barcelona and more dropped points against Celta Vigo. So expect a tight block, heavy traffic in central zones, and a plan built on transitions and set pieces. They do not need the ball to be dangerous, and they will happily drag the game into a trench fight if Madrid let them.

The home side’s answer should be patience plus depth of occupation. In possession, Madrid can look like a 3-2-5: Huijsen, Militao, and an inverted Alexander-Arnold form the rest-defense platform; Tchouameni and Valverde sit just ahead to control second balls; Carreras stretches wide left, while Güler and Mastantuono fill the half-spaces. Vinicius stays high and wide to force 1v1s, and Mbappé pins the center-backs with diagonal runs.

Breaking that low block starts with early switches and quick third-man combinations. If Mallorca crowd Güler, the diagonal to Vinicius becomes the release valve. If they shade toward Vinicius, Mastantuono gets isolated chances on the right—moments he has to attack without hesitation. One clean dribble past his marker can unlock Mbappé’s near-post darts or open the cutback lane for a late-arriving Valverde.

Set pieces could be decisive. With Militao’s spring and Tchouameni’s timing, Madrid carry a threat on corners and wide free-kicks, while Mallorca tend to lean into these moments to equalize the physical battle. Limiting cheap fouls around the box matters. So does winning the first clearance and the second contact, zones where Madrid’s concentration has to stay high.

The off-ball plan should tilt between a 4-4-2 and a 4-1-4-1. Mbappé and Vinicius can press from the front, showing play outside and baiting long balls that Militao can attack. When the ball goes wide, Valverde tucks in to keep the middle sealed. The trigger is simple: jump on the first backward pass, close the passing lanes into midfield, and force the goalkeeper to go long. With Courtois behind them, Madrid can live with those punts.

Transitions are where the Bernabéu crowd can change the temperature of the game. One regained ball, one touch from Güler into space, and Mbappé is already moving. Mallorca’s back line will not want a track meet; Madrid will. If the visitors drop too deep, Alexander-Arnold’s early deliveries from the inside-right pocket become the weapon—fast, flat, and hard to defend when Mbappé and Vinicius are attacking different posts.

Alonso also has in-game tweaks ready. If Mallorca clog the middle, he can push Güler higher as a No. 10 and ask Valverde to patrol the right half-space, turning the shape into a 4-2-3-1 without swapping personnel. If control is the issue, he can bring on Ceballos to help build through pressure and keep the ball moving under 10 touches. If Madrid need width and volume of entries, Rodrygo’s arrival shifts the angles and forces backtracking from both opposing full-backs.

There is a human side to all of this. Vinicius needed a reset and got it—the bench, the response, the start. Now he steps into a game where one early take-on can change how Mallorca defend for the next 80 minutes. Mastantuono steps into a trust moment: hold the shape, take his defender on, and don’t defer. And Mbappé, already humming, carries the burden and the fun of being the reference point.

Madrid’s perfect start is at stake, but so is the identity Alonso wants to build: merit over reputation, youth next to experience, and an attacking structure that does not wobble when the game gets messy. The Bernabéu will expect both brinkmanship and control. If the front three find rhythm early and the midfield wins the second balls, the night tilts their way. If not, this bench exists for a reason.

• Key duel: Vinicius vs. his marker in space—win those 1v1s, and the block stretches.
• Key pattern: Alexander-Arnold inverting to switch play; Carreras overlapping to pin the line.
• Key cushion: Tchouameni and Valverde against transitions—stop the first pass, own the second ball.
• Key risk: Set pieces—mark the back-post runner, stay switched on after the first clearance.
• Key spark: Güler’s first touch between the lines—if he receives on the turn, chances follow.

All the pieces are on the board. A lively front three, a creative midfielder trusted to knit it, and a back line built to let the team attack without fear. For a home crowd that feeds on urgency and flair, this is the kind of selection that promises both.