Real Madrid vs Sevilla: Prediction, Lineups, Kickoff Time | La Liga 2025/26

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Match Preview

A depleted but determined Real Madrid welcome Sevilla to the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, 20 December 2025.¹ Los Blancos sit 2nd in the table with 39 points, chasing the league leaders relentlessly.² Despite a midweek scare in the Copa del Rey against Talavera (winning 3–2), Carlo Ancelotti’s men have found ways to win, winning 12 of their 17 league games.³ Sevilla, currently 9th with 20 points, arrive in the capital in crisis mode—eliminated from the Cup by Alaves in midweek and decimated by injuries and early international departures. With both defenses ravaged by injuries, this could be a chaotic, high-scoring affair.+2

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Match Info

• Competition: La Liga (Matchday 18)⁴
• Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid (Capacity: 83,186)⁵
• Date: Saturday, 20 December 2025
• Kickoff: 21:00 CET | 20:00 GMT | 15:00 ET⁶
• Referee: TBC (RFEF Appointment)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Match Stakes

Real Madrid (2nd — 39 pts):

• Win → Moves to 42 pts; keeps the pressure on Barcelona/Atlético at the top
• Draw → Two points dropped; risks falling further behind in the title race
• Loss → A major blow before the winter break; ends the Bernabéu fear factor

Sevilla (9th — 20 pts):

• Win → Moves to 23 pts; jumps back into the European qualification mix
• Draw → A huge bonus point given the squad situation
• Loss → Stuck in mid-table; morale takes another hit after Cup exit

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Team News

Real Madrid:

• Defensive Crisis: With Alaba, Militao, Carvajal, and Mendy all out, Ancelotti has almost no specialist defenders. Lucas Vázquez and Fran García will start as full-backs, while Aurélien Tchouaméni will likely partner Antonio Rüdiger at CB.
• Brahim Diaz — Out (International Duty)
• Camavinga E. — Out (Ankle Injury)
• Alexander-Arnold T. — Out (Thigh Injury)⁷

Sevilla:

• AFCON/International Absences: Chidera Ejuke and Akor Adams are unavailable due to international duty, stripping Sevilla of pace and goals.⁸
• Defensive Crisis: Marcao, Nianzou, Salas, and Azpilicueta are all injured. Loïc Badé and Nemanja Gudelj are the likely makeshift CB pairing.
• Nyland O. — Out (Starting GK injured); Álvaro Fernández to start.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)

Real Madrid

• 18/12 — 3–2 vs CF Talavera (Copa del Rey)
• 15/12 — 2–1 vs Alaves (La Liga)
• 11/12 — 1–2 vs Manchester City (UCL)
• 08/12 — 0–2 vs Celta Vigo (La Liga)
• 03/12 — 3–0 vs Athletic Bilbao (La Liga)⁹

Sevilla

• 18/12 — 0–1 vs Alaves (Copa del Rey)
• 14/12 — 4–0 vs Real Oviedo (La Liga)¹⁰
• 07/12 — 1–1 vs Valencia (La Liga)¹¹
• 05/12 — 2–1 vs CD Extremadura (Copa del Rey)
• 30/11 — 0–2 vs Real Betis (La Liga)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)

• 18/05/2025 — Sevilla 0–2 Real Madrid¹²
• 22/12/2024 — Real Madrid 4–2 Sevilla¹³
• 26/02/2024 — Real Madrid 1–0 Sevilla
• 21/10/2023 — Sevilla 1–1 Real Madrid¹⁴
• 27/05/2023 — Sevilla 1–2 Real Madrid¹⁵

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)

Real Madrid (4-3-3)

Courtois; Vázquez, Rüdiger, Tchouaméni, F. García; Valverde, Modrić, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius Jr.

Sevilla (4-2-3-1)

Álvaro Fernández; Carmona, Badé, Gudelj, Pedrosa; Sow, Lokonga; Lukébakio, Saúl, Suso; Isaac Romero

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Impact Bench

Real Madrid: Endrick (Goal threat), Güler (Creativity), Ceballos (Control)

Sevilla: Juanlu (Energy), Montiel (Experience), Peque (Attacking spark)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Tactical Analysis

Real Madrid

With a makeshift defense, Madrid cannot afford to sit back. They will look to simply outscore Sevilla. The front three of Vinícius, Mbappé, and Rodrygo will target Sevilla’s depleted backline, particularly testing the lack of pace in the Gudelj-Badé partnership. Expect Bellingham to crash the box late to overwhelm Sevilla’s markers.

Sevilla

García Pimienta’s side will try to control possession to hide their defensive frailty, but without key outlets like Ejuke and Adams, their counter-attack is blunted.16 They will rely on Dodi Lukébakio’s individual brilliance on the wing to expose Fran García. Defensively, they must pack the midfield to stop Modrić and Valverde from dictating play, or risk being cut open at will.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Key Battles

• Vinícius Jr vs Carmona — The world’s best winger vs a young full-back
• Mbappé vs Gudelj — Speed mismatch of the season
• Bellingham vs Sow — Midfield dominance battle
• Rüdiger vs Isaac Romero — Physical duel to stop Sevilla’s counters

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Spotlight Players

Real Madrid — Kylian Mbappé

After a brace in the Cup midweek, the Frenchman is heating up. Against a Sevilla defense missing four center-backs, Mbappé will be licking his lips. He has the pace to destroy their high line repeatedly.

Sevilla — Dodi Lukébakio

With Adams and Ejuke gone, Lukébakio is the only genuine source of unpredictability left in Sevilla’s attack. If Sevilla are to score at the Bernabéu, it will likely come from his left foot.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Prediction

Real Madrid 3–1 Sevilla

Both teams are defensively broken, but Madrid’s attack remains world-class while Sevilla’s is toothless without their key internationals. The Bernabéu crowd and the sheer quality of Vinícius and Mbappé should be enough to secure a comfortable win, even if they concede a sloppy goal.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Betting Insights

• Real Madrid to Win & Over 2.5 Goals — High Probability
• Kylian Mbappé to Score — Very Likely
• Both Teams to Score — YES (Due to Madrid’s defensive injuries)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — Where to Watch

• Spain: DAZN LaLiga, Movistar+
• UK: Premier Sports, LaLigaTV
• USA: ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
• International: beIN Sports (MENA)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla — FAQs

Q: When is the Real Madrid vs Sevilla match?

A: The match kicks off on Saturday, 20 December 2025, at 21:00 CET.¹⁷

Q: Is David Alaba playing?

A: No. Alaba is ruled out with a muscle injury.

Q: Why is Brahim Diaz not playing?

A: He is away on international duty (likely early preparation for AFCON with Morocco).

Q: Who is the favorite?

A: Real Madrid are heavy favorites due to home advantage and Sevilla’s severe injury list.¹⁸

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

Will Mbappé feast on Sevilla’s defense?

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