Yan Diomande set to pay the price as Mourinho plots Real Madrid changes for Elche

Yan Diomande is set to lose his place in the Real Madrid starting XI when Jose Mourinho takes his side to Elche, with Arda Guler expected to return to the lineup.

The summer record signing was handed his first start for Los Blancos in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano, replacing Guler in Mourinho’s main change to his established lineup.

However, the Turkey international is expected to reclaim his starting position at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero as Mourinho prepares his squad for another demanding week.

Real Madrid are scheduled to face Atletico Madrid in the derby on Saturday, but Mourinho has suggested he is not planning wholesale changes despite the congested fixture list.

Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior are all expected to retain their places against Elche before featuring again in the Madrid derby.

Mourinho chasing Barcelona

Real Madrid head into the fixture needing another victory to keep pace with Barcelona at the summit of LaLiga.

Mourinho’s side responded to their previous setback by producing a convincing 4-1 home win over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend.

Despite that result, Barcelona remain perfect after five league matches and have set the early pace in the title race.

Real Madrid therefore cannot afford another slip as they attempt to close the gap on the defending champions and move above them at the top of the standings.

Mourinho is expected to continue relying on his strongest available players as the battle for first place begins to take shape.

Aurelien Tchouameni could also feature from the start as he works towards full match fitness, while the manager considers his midfield options.

Huijsen has a special record against Elche

One player with a notable history against Elche is Dean Huijsen.

The defender has yet to score for Real Madrid this season but has previously enjoyed remarkable success against Tuesday’s opponents.

Huijsen scored home and away against Elche during his debut campaign with Real Madrid in the 2025/26 season.

Those two goals remain his only strikes for the club, giving the upcoming fixture an interesting subplot.

Real Madrid will kick off at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero at 9:30pm local time, with the match scheduled for 8:30pm in the UK.

With Barcelona maintaining their perfect start and Atletico Madrid waiting at the weekend, Mourinho’s selection against Elche could prove significant in Real Madrid’s early title challenge.