Real Madrid’s injury picture ahead of the LaLiga opener against Espanyol has become clearer this week. This article was updated on 18 September 2026. José Mourinho is preparing his squad for the first league match of his second spell in charge. Attention has settled on whether Endrick will be involved, and several other first-team players are also being monitored.
Updated squad status ahead of LaLiga opener
Real Madrid go into the new LaLiga season with Mourinho back at the helm for a second spell as head coach. This is his first full league campaign since returning. The build-up has been shaped as much by fitness news as by tactics. Several senior names are touch and go for the trip to face Espanyol.
The club have not confirmed a final matchday squad. No official medical statement has been issued on any of the players discussed below. What follows reflects the latest reporting rather than a confirmed team sheet.
Endrick’s fitness and Mourinho’s tactical plans
Endrick spent last season on loan at French club Lyon. He has returned to Madrid hoping to establish himself under the new coaching regime. According to Bernabéu Digital, citing Diario AS journalist Rubén Martín, the young forward is not currently training with the main squad. He is expected to miss the opening fixture against Espanyol.
The same report indicates he could be back in contention for Real Madrid’s second league match. That suggests the issue is being treated as short-term rather than a longer-term setback. Nothing has been confirmed by the club on a specific return date. Supporters should treat the timeline as provisional until Real Madrid say otherwise.
On the tactical side, Bernabéu Digital reports that Mourinho has spoken to Endrick directly. The coach has told him he is expected to play a key role this season, as a central striker and as an option on the right wing. If accurate, that would mark a notable show of faith from Mourinho. Endrick is still building his reputation at senior level after his spell away from the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid injury news and squad availability
Beyond Endrick, Real Madrid’s injury news has centred on three players ruled out of the Espanyol match. According to Bernabéu Digital, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Thiago Pitarch are all injured and unavailable for the opener. That leaves Mourinho with reduced options across defence heading into his first league test.
Militão and Mendy are both established regulars when fit. Their absence is significant for a back line still settling into a new manager’s system. Pitarch, meanwhile, misses a chance to press for involvement in the opening weeks of the campaign.
There is also a question mark over Aurélien Tchouaméni. Bernabéu Digital describes him as a doubt because of physical discomfort, though the same report suggests he is expected to be fit in time for the fixture. As with Endrick, this should be read as the current state of reporting rather than a confirmed inclusion. Real Madrid have not published their own update on his condition.
Taken together, the picture suggests Mourinho will have to manage his squad carefully in the opening weeks. He must balance returning players against those still working their way back from fitness issues.
What happens next
The immediate focus is Real Madrid’s LaLiga opener against Espanyol. Based on the reporting above, Mourinho is expected to name a starting eleven without Endrick, Militão, Mendy and Pitarch. Tchouaméni’s involvement remains the closest call among the names discussed.
Beyond that, the more significant date for many supporters will be Real Madrid’s second league fixture. Bernabéu Digital suggests that is a realistic target for Endrick’s return. Until the club confirms squad news through official channels, the situation around each player should be treated as developing rather than settled.
For more background on how this story developed, read our original coverage of Endrick’s fitness heading into the new campaign.
