Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the La Liga match against Elche, with Courtois included in the XI for the trip to Martinez Valero Stadium in Elche, Spain. The club is going with a strong side rather than a heavily rotated one, even with bigger days ahead on the calendar.
That choice matters because the match is not only about 3 points. Real Madrid want to build an early lead and protect key players so they can stay healthy and fresh for the Derbi against Atlético, which makes every selection in the Real Madrid vs Elche matchup more revealing than a routine team sheet.
The lineup shows that plan in plain view. Courtois is behind a back line of Trent, Konaté, Huijsen and Cucurella, with Valverde and Tchouameni in midfield and Diomande, Güler, Vinicius and Mbappé ahead of them. Elche, by contrast, named Dituro; Sangaré, Redondo, Chust; Rubén Sánchez, Aguado, Gonzalo Villar, Roy Revivo; Lemar, Germán Valera; Fer Niño.
Real Madrid are still keeping one eye on the Derbi, and that is where the friction sits. A team chasing control can still be tempted to protect legs, yet the starting XI suggests the balance has been struck around getting the result now rather than waiting for a later chance. Elche have been very poor this season, which only increases the pressure on Madrid to turn the selection into an immediate advantage.
The next step is straightforward: the match at Martinez Valero Stadium will show whether this lineup is enough to secure an early hold on the game without costing Madrid the freshness they want for Atlético. For viewers, the available TV listings are DAZN La Liga in Spain and Deportes in the USA.
