Real Madrid Faces Heavy Absences Against Deportivo La Coruña
Real Madrid head to Galicia without a spine, never mind a full-strength side.
On Tuesday, the club released José Mourinho’s travelling squad for Wednesday night’s meeting with newly promoted Deportivo La Coruña – and the list of absentees reads like a Ballon d’Or longlist.
A heavyweight squad, heavily stripped back
Pre-season at Valdebebas has been intense. Less than a fortnight from the start of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign, Mourinho has pushed his players hard, intent on closing the gap to Barcelona and restoring Real Madrid’s edge in the title race.
They have already tested themselves against Fiorentina and Ferencváros, easing their way towards competitive sharpness. Deportivo, back in the top flight and eager to prove they belong again, represent another step up in rhythm and hostility.
But Real will walk into that atmosphere missing an entire core.
No fewer than 11 first‑team players have been left out of the squad, a mix of injuries and players still short of match fitness as the new season looms. For a manager who thrives on control and structure, it is a sizeable early‑summer headache.
Star names stay home
The absences cut through every line of the team.
In goal, Thibaut Courtois does not travel, removing the club’s long‑standing last line of security.
At the back, Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão are both out, stripping experience and athleticism from a defence that will already be tested by the emotion of Riazor on a La Liga return night. Ibrahima Konaté is also missing, further thinning Mourinho’s options in central defence, while Thiago Pitarch sits out as well.
The midfield loses its driving force. Jude Bellingham, the man who so often bends matches to his will, is unavailable, leaving Real without their most dynamic runner between the lines. Yan Diomandé and Raúl Asencio are also absent, reducing rotation possibilities in the engine room just when minutes are most carefully managed.
Up front, the headlines write themselves. Kylian Mbappé will not feature. Nor will Rodrygo, depriving Real of two of their most explosive forwards in transition. Marc Cucurella, capable of offering thrust down the flank, also stays behind.
The full list of players ruled out for the Deportivo clash reads:
- Marc Cucurella
- Jude Bellingham
- Thibaut Courtois
- Rodrygo
- Kylian Mbappé
- Yan Diomandé
- Ferland Mendy
- Raúl Asencio
- Ibrahima Konaté
- Thiago Pitarch
- Éder Militão
Mourinho’s early test
Friendlies rarely define a season, but this one carries weight.
With so many senior figures missing, Mourinho must lean on depth, youth, and those on the fringes of the XI to carry the badge in a hostile setting. For some, it is an unexpected audition; for others, a reminder that chances at Real Madrid can appear without warning and vanish just as quickly.
Deportivo, buoyed by promotion and a home crowd desperate to announce their return, will sense opportunity. Real, even in July or August, are still Real – a scalp that can set a tone for a campaign.
For Mourinho, the result will matter less than the answers he gets. Can the understudies handle the shirt, the noise, the expectation? Or will this be an early sign that the squad, for all its star power, still needs more reliable depth before the real business begins?
