Real Madrid – Alavés: Arbeloa moves, Javi Navarro called up, and three injuries shape Bernabéu night
Real Madrid – Alavés takes center stage this Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Álvaro Arbeloa making three changes from the Munich XI and the team trying to steady itself after the Champions League exit. The match arrives with Real Madrid in second place on 70 points, nine behind the leader, while Alavés enters 17th with 33 points and a narrow cushion above the relegation zone. The Real Madrid – Alavés night also brings a notable youth-team spotlight, with Javi Navarro included in the squad after his standout run in the UEFA Youth League.
Real Madrid – Alavés lineup news and the key changes
Arbeloa’s choices point to a clear reset in midfield and defense. Tchouameni returns to the center of the pitch, while Huijsen is back in the heart of the back line and Carreras returns at left back. The latest squad picture also includes the youth goalkeeper Javi Navarro, who is being rewarded after a strong Youth League campaign in which he saved five decisive penalties across the semifinal and final.
Before kickoff, the Youth League champions are set to present the trophy to supporters inside the Bernabéu, adding an emotional layer to the evening. That gesture comes as the senior side tries to refocus on the league after a week that has sharpened the pressure around the club.
Three absences remain as Real Madrid – Alavés approaches
The most important injury update remains unchanged: Raúl Asencio, Thibaut Courtois, and Rodrygo Goes are still unavailable. Courtois is already training on grass and could return in the coming weeks, but no exact date has been set. Asencio continues recovering from a health problem, while Rodrygo is ruled out until next season after the serious knee injury he suffered on March 3.
That leaves Arbeloa with a tight margin in personnel and little room for error in a match that carries both sporting and emotional weight. Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Júnior headline the rest of the group, but the focus remains on how the team responds after the European setback and whether the changes can bring more control.
What the benches are saying before kickoff
Arbeloa framed the remaining league matches as decisive, stressing that there are seven games left and that his side must win all seven. He said the club must keep its eyes on the future even when results are not falling its way, and he asked for a Bernabéu “in family” and proud of the team’s effort in Munich.
For Alavés, the mission is simpler but no less urgent: collect points to move away from the danger zone. With only a one-point gap above the relegation line, every minute matters, and the pressure inside this Real Madrid – Alavés meeting is likely to stay high from the opening whistle to the final stretch. The next developments will hinge on whether Real Madrid can channel the home crowd, the youth-team celebration, and the squad changes into the response it needs in Real Madrid – Alavés.
