Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig preview: Team news and predicted lineups

Team news, predicted lineups and key insights ahead of Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig in the 2026/27 Champions League.

Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images

Yan Diomande will face his former club on Wednesday as he and Real Madrid welcome RB Leipzig to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League.

After taking a few weeks to settle into his new surroundings, Diomande has found his stride in recent outings, showcasing the qualities that convinced Real Madrid to spend up to €140 million to secure his signature last summer.

The Ivorian winger has registered at least one goal involvement in each of his last three appearances, most recently scoring and assisting in Real Madrid’s emphatic 4-1 La Liga victory over Sevilla.

Leipzig, meanwhile, endured another miserable away day at the weekend, suffering a humiliating 6-1 defeat to Bayern Munich to make it four losses from four away games so far this season.

Die Roten Bullen had won back-to-back matches heading into the encounter, but their performance against the German champions fell well short of expectations. The display was so disappointing that sporting managing director Marcel Schäfer said his side had “failed completely in every area of the game”.

Martin Demichelis’ men will be desperate to respond with a stronger performance on Wednesday, although they face a significant challenge against one of European football’s heavyweights. 

The two sides have met four times previously, most recently at the Bernabéu in 2024, when they played out a 1-1 draw. Leipzig have won one of their other three meetings, while Real Madrid have claimed two victories.

Team news and predicted lineups:

Real Madrid will be without Raúl Asencio (tibia) and Rodrygo (ligaments).

Christoph Baumgartner (hamstring) and Assan Ouedraogo (shoulder) are set to miss out for Leipzig.

Click here to see our predicted Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig lineups.