Every time PSG and Real Madrid meet, the conversation drifts to the teamsheet before a ball is kicked. The 9 July 2025 meeting is no different, with Kylian Mbappé’s squad number, Thibaut Courtois’s No. 1 jersey and Rodrygo’s fitness generating more chatter than the scoreline. Here’s the difference between what is confirmed and what is still projection, so you know which XI to trust when the official teams drop.

4 related posts

All-time H2H: PSG 4 wins, 3 draws, Real Madrid 5 wins ·
Last official meeting: Real Madrid 3-1 Paris, 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA) ·
Projected PSG formation: 4-3-3 (FotMob/Yahoo preview) ·
Real Madrid No. 1: Thibaut Courtois ·
Mbappé club number: Real Madrid No. 9; France No. 10 ·
Rodrygo height: 1.74 m (5 ft 8.5 in)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Seven pre-match facts, one pattern: most of what circulates as “lineup news” is still projection until the official team sheets arrive.

Bottom line: Readers who treat preview graphics as confirmed lineups will have the wrong XI. The official team sheet is the only source that ends the argument.
Label Value
Match date 9 Jul 2025 (Sky Sports lineup page)
Projected PSG XI Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz — per FotMob/Yahoo’s preview (FotMob live football data)
Last official meeting Real Madrid 3-1 Paris, 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA line-ups)
Head-to-head (H2H graphic) PSG 4 wins, 3 draws, Real Madrid 5 wins
Real Madrid No. 1 Thibaut Courtois (official squad list)
Mbappé club number Real Madrid No. 9; France No. 10 (official squad lists)
Rodrygo height 1.74 m (5 ft 8.5 in) (official player profile)

The gap between these rows and the official sheet is where lineup articles usually go wrong: the projection gets repeated until it becomes a “confirmed” XI.

Who will win, PSG or Real Madrid?

The honest answer: nobody can say until both lineups drop on 9 July. A preseason-friendly scoreline tells you little about the Champions League versions of these teams, so the smart read is built on the projected XIs, the absences and the head-to-head record.

What are the predicted PSG vs Real Madrid lineups?

The tactical split between the two previews is small but telling. Sports Illustrated sees PSG keeping a classic 4-3-3 with Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia wide, while Real Madrid’s shape gives Bellingham a free role behind Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. FotMob’s pages agree on the overall structure but leave room for a 4-3-1-2 — the kind of formation detail only the official teamsheet settles.

Team-news input shifts the projections. Oddschecker’s preview reports Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez are suspended for PSG, Ousmane Dembélé is in contention to start after impressing off the bench against Bayern, Kylian Mbappé has recovered from illness, and David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Endrick remain sidelined for Real Madrid (Oddschecker betting and team-news preview).

Is PSG the strongest club?

  • European titles: Real Madrid hold a record 15 European Cup/Champions League titles; PSG are still chasing a first (UEFA competition records).
  • Head-to-head: PSG 4 wins, 3 draws, Real Madrid 5 wins in official meetings (H2H graphic).
  • Last big-meeting result: Real Madrid 3-1 Paris, 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA line-ups).

“Strongest” is a metric question, not a badge. Count European trophies and Real Madrid clears the field. Count the head-to-head and the gap is a single win. Count domestic titles over the last decade and PSG’s argument is real — but it has not yet produced a Champions League. Our Manchester United vs Arsenal stats comparison uses the same approach: measure both sides on trophies, head-to-head and current form, not on squad-star power alone.

What this means: a balanced head-to-head plus two star-heavy projected XIs usually comes down to availability. The confirmed team sheet, not the preview graphic, is what should move a prediction.

Bottom line: A prediction built on projected lineups is only as solid as the official teamsheet. For fans and bettors, the move is simple: wait for the confirmed XI, or accept that the forecast is a guess dressed as analysis.

Has PSG ever won against Real Madrid?

Yes — and the all-time record is closer than the marketing suggests. PSG have four official wins against Real Madrid, with three draws and five Real Madrid wins in the head-to-head graphic. Two of those PSG victories came in the Champions League: a 3-0 group-stage win in 2019-20 and a 1-0 first-leg win in the 2021-22 round of 16 (UEFA).

Who won the last official meeting?

The reference point

Real Madrid 3-1 Paris on 9 March 2022 — the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 — is the last official meeting between the clubs, per UEFA’s line-ups record.

That match also settles the goalkeeper question for anyone looking back at lineups: Thibaut Courtois was Real Madrid’s No. 1 that night (UEFA line-ups). For anyone reading lineup articles, the 2022 tie is the reference point to check first, because every “last meeting” graphic should match that result.

Who did Real Madrid lose 8-1 to?

Verify before sharing

The 8-1 loss circulating in fan posts is often attributed to a 1935 defeat by Barcelona, but historical records are inconsistent, and no reliable source in the pre-match record confirms it. Treat the figure as unverified, not as a lineup or history fact.

This matters for a lineup article because the same sloppy sourcing that spreads scoreline folklore also spreads fake teamsheets. The confirmed numbers in this fixture come from UEFA and club records: PSG 4 wins, Real Madrid 5 wins, three draws. The same standard applies to every European head-to-head — see our Legia Warsaw vs Chelsea breakdown.

Bottom line: The pattern: the rivalry’s history is treated as settled when it is actually a mix of confirmed UEFA results and unverified folklore. Filtering one from the other is the whole job of a lineup article.

What team is better, Real Madrid or PSG?

How do Real Madrid and PSG compare on European trophies?

  • European Cup / Champions League titles: Real Madrid 15, PSG 0 (UEFA competition records).
  • All-time head-to-head: Real Madrid 5 wins, PSG 4 wins, 3 draws (H2H graphic).
  • Most recent official meeting: Real Madrid 3-1 Paris, 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA line-ups).

No metric separates the two clubs as sharply as European silverware. Real Madrid’s 15 titles are the competition’s record, while PSG’s domestic dominance in France has not translated into a Champions League trophy. That single gap shapes most “which club is bigger” arguments, and it is the reason Real Madrid enters the 9 July fixture as the reference standard in cross-club comparisons.

The implication: five comparison points produce one pattern — Real Madrid wins on European history, PSG can argue domestic rhythm, and the head-to-head is almost level.

Metric PSG Real Madrid Edge
European Cup / UCL titles 0 15 Real Madrid (UEFA competition records)
All-time H2H 4 wins 5 wins; 3 draws Real Madrid, narrowly (H2H graphic)
Last official meeting Lost 1-3 Won 3-1 Real Madrid, 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA)
Projected XI for 9 Jul 2025 4-3-3 with Donnarumma, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia 4-3-1-2 with Courtois, Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior Comparable star power (Sports Illustrated soccer match coverage)
Availability concerns Pacho and Hernandez suspended Alaba, Mendy, Endrick sidelined PSG’s back line hit harder (Oddschecker betting and team-news preview)

Does head-to-head record or domestic form decide this comparison?

The upshot

Head-to-head favors Real Madrid by one win; European titles favor them by 15. PSG’s only clear edge is domestic dominance — and it has not yet produced the trophy that settles these debates.

The lens you choose decides the answer. Pick European trophies and Real Madrid wins. Pick the head-to-head and the gap is a single result. Pick domestic form and PSG can argue the point, but that argument stops at the Champions League. The honest read: Real Madrid has the stronger silverware case, PSG has the stronger “right now” case, and the confirmed lineup on 9 July tells you which version of each team actually shows up.

The catch: a “better club” verdict depends on the metric you weight most. European history, head-to-head record and domestic form all point in different directions, and none of them should be read off a projected teamsheet.

Bottom line: Real Madrid’s 15 European titles settle the “better club” argument for most neutrals. For PSG supporters, the honest counter is a near-level head-to-head and domestic dominance — not a Champions League trophy.

Will Rodrygo play today?

Nobody outside the Real Madrid medical staff can answer that with certainty. Rodrygo’s fitness is a team-news item that previews mention but none confirm.

Why won’t Ronaldo play today?

  • Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018 and has played for Al-Nassr since 2023 (official club records).
  • He is not part of Real Madrid’s squad, so no Real Madrid lineup page will include him.

Any lineup graphic showing Ronaldo in white is recycling pre-2018 content. The marketing machinery around PSG vs Real Madrid occasionally drags his name back into the conversation, but the confirmed reality is simple: he cannot be in this team sheet.

Who is Real Madrid’s youngest player?

The catch

Endrick is likely the youngest member of the current first-team squad, pending the official matchday list. A friendly on 9 July is exactly the kind of fixture where a manager names a younger bench than usual.

The official matchday squad, not a squad list from six months ago, decides who qualifies as “youngest” on the night. Managers routinely hand minutes to teenagers in summer fixtures, so the accurate answer for any given matchday comes from the confirmed XI and substitutes.

What are the confirmed PSG vs Real Madrid lineups?

  • PSG: the confirmed XI is published on PSG’s official channels on matchday; no social graphic is official.
  • Real Madrid: the club posts the official starting XI on its own site for every fixture (Real Madrid official club site).
  • Live coverage: match-day lineup pages from Sky Sports and ESPN carry the confirmed XIs once released (ESPN global sports broadcaster).

The confirmation process is the same for both clubs: official channels publish the XI, and preview graphics become obsolete the moment they do. That is why this article keeps the FotMob/Yahoo and Sports Illustrated XIs labeled as projections — they are the best read before matchday, not the final word.

The implication: every projection in this article resets the moment the official sheet lands. For Rodrygo, for Ronaldo, for the youngest-player debate — the confirmed XI is the only source that ends the argument.

Bottom line: Rodrygo’s status and Ronaldo’s absence are only settled on the official team sheet. For anyone sharing lineup graphics ahead of 9 July, a pre-transfer Ronaldo screenshot will not survive contact with the confirmed XI.

Does Mbappe wear 9 or 10?

Both — it depends on the shirt. At Real Madrid, Mbappé wears No. 9. For France, he wears No. 10. The confusion is understandable: he has worn different numbers at club and international level at different points of his career.

Who is 1 in Real Madrid?

  • No. 1: Thibaut Courtois (official squad list).
  • No. 9: Kylian Mbappé (official squad list).
  • No. 10 (France): Kylian Mbappé (international squad list).

Squad numbers are reassigned every season, so a lineup article should always check the current official list instead of trusting a graphic from a previous campaign. Courtois has been Real Madrid’s No. 1 through the club’s recent Champions League runs, including the 2022 tie against PSG.

How tall is Rodrygo?

  • Listed height: 1.74 m (5 ft 8.5 in) on official player profiles (official player profile).
  • Availability: unconfirmed for 9 July; the official team sheet decides.

Height trivia is the kind of detail that gets copied inaccurately across lineup roundups. The number that matters more for Rodrygo on 9 July is his fitness status — and that is still listed as unconfirmed in the pre-match record.

The pattern: small squad details — a number, a height, a No. 1 — are exactly where lineup articles lose credibility. The official squad list, not a screenshot, should settle all three.

Timeline signal

  • — Real Madrid’s 8-1 loss, often attributed to Barcelona, remains unverified in historical records; treat it as folklore until a primary source confirms it.
  • — Real Madrid 3-1 Paris in the Champions League second leg (UEFA line-ups).
  • — Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr and is not part of Real Madrid lineups (official club records).
  • — Mbappé wears No. 9 for Real Madrid since his 2024 arrival (official squad list).
  • — Match day for PSG vs Real Madrid; Sky Sports’ lineup page is the reference page for the official starting XIs (Sky Sports).

Since the 2022 meeting, the rivalry’s lineup story has flipped: Mbappé, who was still at PSG in that tie, is now projected to lead Real Madrid’s attack. For fans comparing eras, the timeline shows why a “last time they met” graphic from 2022 tells you almost nothing about the teams that will walk out on 9 July.

The pattern: the 2022 tie still defines the modern rivalry, and the 9 July lineups are the first chance to see how much has changed since — especially on Real Madrid’s attacking side.

Lineup facts: confirmed vs unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Real Madrid 3-1 Paris on 9 Mar 2022 (UEFA line-ups).
  • Courtois was Real Madrid’s No. 1 in the 2022 UCL lineup (UEFA line-ups).
  • FotMob/Yahoo project PSG in a 4-3-3 with Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz (FotMob/Yahoo preview).
  • Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018 and joined Al-Nassr in 2023 (official club records).
  • Mbappé wears No. 9 at Real Madrid and No. 10 for France (official squad lists).

What’s unclear

  • Final result of the 9 Jul 2025 fixture, if it has been played.
  • Rodrygo’s exact match fitness and inclusion in the official XI.
  • Whether young players beyond the projected starters appear in the official matchday lineup — Endrick’s status is pending the official list.
  • The 8-1 loss commonly attributed to a 1935 defeat by Barcelona needs a primary source before it can be treated as confirmed.
  • Formation maps differ by provider: Sofascore lists PSG in a 4-1-4-1 and Real Madrid in a 4-3-3, while The Athletic lists the same UWCL fixture as 4-2-3-1 vs 4-1-4-1 (Sofascore match statistics; The Athletic tactical coverage).

The balance is deliberate: the more sources you stack, the more you need one official teamsheet to cut through them.

The projections, source by source

“Sports Illustrated’s projected PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.”

“Sports Illustrated’s projected Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rüdiger, García; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Güler; Bellingham; Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior.”

Sports Illustrated soccer match coverage, 9 July 2025 match preview

“Oddschecker reports Pacho and Hernandez suspended for PSG; Alaba, Mendy and Endrick sidelined for Real Madrid; Mbappé recovered from illness.”

Oddschecker betting and team-news preview, pre-match team-news preview

“Sofascore’s match data lists PSG in a 4-1-4-1 and Real Madrid in a 4-3-3 for the clubs’ UWCL meeting; The Athletic lists the same fixture as 4-2-3-1 vs 4-1-4-1.”

Sofascore match statistics and The Athletic tactical coverage, match pages

The consistency check: Sports Illustrated and FotMob broadly agree on the men’s friendly, while Sofascore and The Athletic disagree on the women’s UWCL meeting. That is the normal state of lineup coverage — the official sheet resolves it.

The takeaway for matchday

For fans tracking the 9 July fixture, the difference between a reliable lineup read and a misleading one is source discipline: official club channels and match-day lineup pages confirm; preview graphics project. For analysts and content creators, the stakes are credibility — an unverified 1935 scoreline or a pre-2018 Ronaldo graphic undermines an otherwise balanced preview. For fans and analysts following this tie, the choice is clear: anchor every lineup claim to an official source or match-day lineup page, or accept that the prediction can be outdated before kickoff.

Related reading:

Additional sources

fotmob.com, realmadrid.com, onefootball.com, sports.yahoo.com, squawka.com

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Frequently asked questions

Why do clubs rotate heavily in preseason friendlies?

Summer fixtures exist to build fitness and test squad depth, so managers change whole blocks of players at halftime. A lineup published for a friendly is a starting point, not a promise — which is why the confirmed team sheet on 9 July matters more than the projected one.

What should fans look for when comparing predicted lineups and official lineups?

Check the source first. Official club channels and match-day lineup pages from established outlets like Sky Sports and ESPN confirm; preview graphics and social posts only project. Compare the formation, the goalkeeper, and the players listed as doubts — those three details change most between prediction and confirmation.

How should a preseason friendly result affect a team comparison?

Almost not at all. A friendly tests fitness and rotations, so the result says little about how either team would perform in a competitive Champions League tie. The head-to-head record and European titles remain the stable comparison points.

Which official sources confirm PSG vs Real Madrid lineups first?

The clubs themselves publish the confirmed starting XIs about an hour before kickoff. Real Madrid posts its official XI on its own site for every match, and match-day lineup pages from Sky Sports and ESPN carry the same information once released.

How can squad numbers like No. 9 or No. 1 change between seasons?

Squad numbers are reassigned each season when players leave, arrive or swap. Mbappé’s No. 9 at Real Madrid and Courtois’s No. 1 are current assignments; a lineup graphic from an older campaign may show different numbers, so the official current squad list is the reference.

Why does Mbappé wear 9 for Real Madrid and 10 for France?

Club and international squads assign numbers independently, and Mbappé has held different numbers in each shirt. The official Real Madrid squad list confirms No. 9 at club level; the France squad list confirms No. 10 internationally.

Is the head-to-head between PSG and Real Madrid close?

Yes. Official meetings show Real Madrid with 5 wins, PSG with 4 wins, and 3 draws. PSG have also won Champions League meetings against Real Madrid, including a 3-0 group-stage win in 2019-20 and a 1-0 win in the 2021-22 first leg.