Back when Real Madrid used to blow teams out every single week and won the Champions League in four out of five seasons, they not only had a world class "A" team that could dominate anyone in European football, but they also had a stellar "B" team that could beat pretty much any team in La Liga on any given weekend, except maybe Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Jose Mourinho has brought depth back to Madrid, and they quietly have an enviable "B" team of their own this season. Here is how that lineup would currently look.
Defense: GK Andriy Lunin - LB Alvaro Carreras - CB Eder Militao - CB Antonio Rudiger - RB Denzel Dumfries
This backup defense is so insane it's probably the best one in European football, with the possible exception of Premier League champions Arsenal. Denzel Dumfries and Eder Militao are both world class, and while the latter is probably a starter in the best XI, Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen are playing so well in his absence that they are going to make the Brazilian win his job back. As for Alvaro Carreras and Antonio Rudiger, they struggled last season but already look improved in 2026/27, especially Rudiger vs. Malaga.
Midfield: DM Aurelien Tchouameni - DM Eduardo Camavinga - AM Brahim Diaz
Brahim Diaz started on the right wing in that new inverted playmaker role Jose Mourinho crafted for Arda Guler, but the ambipedal Moroccan international does his best work in the middle and is the backup 10 by default. Aurelien Tchouameni has been injured and may still reclaim the starting role, but it looks like Fede Valverde and Bernardo Silva are Mou's double pivot of choice. Eduardo Camavinag got a start against Malaga and looked much improved, and, honestly, Cama and Tchou would be the best midfield duo on any La Liga team besides Barcelona's.
Attack: LW Rodrygo Goes - ST Carlos Espi - RW Yan Diomande
Yan Diomande may eventually become the starter and probably should as a 140 million euro signing, though with Rodrygo Goes injured, he would technically also be the main backup left winger to Vinicius Junior. Though Arda Guler is playing so well, it may be hard for even Diomande to displace him on the right. Endrick has to feel hard done by here, but Carlos Espi has been so promising to start life at Real Madrid and has such a great profile as the big man in the middle that he can't be denied this slot.
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