Cucurella to make first start as Rüdiger waits for his first minutes

José Mourinho is preparing changes to Real Madrid’s defence for the match against Málaga. Marc Cucurella will make his first official start for the club, while Antonio Rüdiger could receive his first LaLiga minutes of the season.

Cucurella’s inclusion is no longer simply a media prediction. Mourinho confirmed before the game that the Spanish international would replace Álvaro Carreras on the left side of the defence. The new signing has already appeared as a substitute but had to wait until the third round for his first opportunity from the beginning.

Real Madrid signed Cucurella following an excellent World Cup, during which he was Spain’s first-choice left-back. He joined the squad later than several of his teammates, so Mourinho introduced him gradually. Carreras started the opening two matches, with Cucurella receiving minutes from the bench. Their roles will now be reversed.

The situation surrounding Rüdiger is considerably less certain. The German was included in the squad against Espanyol and Real Sociedad but did not play a single minute. His absence was not caused by a new injury or a disagreement with the coach. Mourinho was managing his workload after a long season, the World Cup and the physical problems he carried into pre-season.

“Diario Madridista” reports that Rüdiger has a strong chance of starting against Málaga. Other predicted line-ups, however, retain Ibrahima Konaté and Dean Huijsen in central defence. The German’s selection therefore remains a possibility rather than a decision confirmed by Mourinho.

The competition is strong enough for one of Real Madrid’s most experienced defenders to spend two league games on the bench without appearing. There is no need to accelerate his return, particularly after Konaté and Huijsen made a solid start to the campaign. Éder Militão remains unavailable through injury, but even without the Brazilian, Mourinho has several combinations available.

Rüdiger appears almost perfectly suited to the Portuguese coach. He is aggressive, powerful in duels and rarely needs a formal invitation to become involved in a confrontation. From a personality perspective, he looks built to play for Mourinho. So far, however, the coach has shown more interest in protecting his physical condition than immediately placing him on the pitch.

The match against Málaga offers an opportunity to continue integrating players. Real Madrid won their opening two fixtures, while the newly promoted visitors have collected one point. Mourinho can make several adjustments without completely rebuilding the team. Courtois, Valverde, Bellingham, Vinícius and Mbappé are still expected to form its core.

Real Madrid’s official squad list includes Rüdiger, Cucurella, Konaté, Huijsen, Dumfries, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Carreras. The selection of defenders alone demonstrates Mourinho’s options. He can change both full-backs and one centre-back without resorting to an emergency solution.

For Cucurella, this will be the first proper opportunity to show what his role in the new Real Madrid is supposed to look like. Carreras has started the season well, so the world champion is not stepping into an empty position. He is entering a direct competition the club made no effort to simplify.

Rüdiger is in a different position. His standing inside the dressing room is not being questioned, but his season on the pitch will begin later than those of his teammates. If Mourinho selects him, Real Madrid could start with two new faces in defence. If he remains on the bench, it will not yet represent a problem. It will simply confirm that the coach currently has more defenders than available positions, rather than the other way around.