The ninth round of La Liga marks a fresh slate of fixtures as First Division clubs sharpen their squads for ten crucial clashes in the championship calendar. This overview highlights the most probable lineups for matchday nine across fantasy formats, community leagues, and Biwenger, with a clear eye on Canadian and American fans who follow La Liga closely and want reliable picks for their leagues and drafts.
LaLiga returns for the ninth round of the 2024-2025 season, and this report lays out the likely starting elevens for the upcoming fixtures. The goal is to give fantasy players a solid sense of who is most likely to feature, along with the tactical shapes and key moments to watch as teams chase three points and build momentum in the standings.
Probable lineups on matchday 9 of La Liga 2024-2025 for Fantasy, Comunio and Biwenger
Athletic Club vs Almería — anticipated selections
- Athletic Club is expected to field Unai Simón in goal, with a back four comprising De Marcos, Vivian, Yeray and Yuri. The engine room could see Dani García paired with Ander Herrera, with Sancet ahead of them in midfield, supporting a front trio of Iñaki Williams, Guruzeta and Nico Williams. This setup emphasizes compact defending and quick transitions to exploit pace in wide areas, a tactic often favored by North American managers in fantasy leagues.
- Almería’s probable starting XI includes Maximilian Arnau Puigmal and Chumi in defense, Edgar and Akieme likely at full-back, and Baba, Lopy and Melero in midfield. Up front, Above Koné supports Ramazani in a line designed to threaten from multiple angles, with players rotated to press high and create overloads on the flanks.
Cádiz vs Girona — expected personnel
- Cádiz appears set to line up with Ledesma in goal, with a backline of Iza, Luis Hernández, Fali and Lucas Pires. The engine room could feature Alejo, Escalante, Alcaraz and Robert Navarro in midfield, while Chris Ramos partners Roger up top, with Maxi as an alternative option for depth and rotation in a sprint-heavy schedule.
- Girona’s likely formation features Gazzaniga in goal, a back four of Yan Couto, Eric García, Blind and Miguel, and a midfield trio of Aleix García, Yangel Herrera and David López. Iván Martín, Dobyvk and Sávio are expected to line up in the attacking third, offering pace and clever movements to trouble back lines that press high.
Real Madrid vs Osasuna — projected XI
- Real Madrid is anticipated to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, with Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba and Fran García forming a defensive line. Valverde, Tchouaméni and either Kroos or Modrić in midfield would support Bellingham behind a strike pairing of Joselu and Vinícius Jr. The balance between control in midfield and pace in attack is prized by fantasy managers looking for consistent contributors.
- Osasuna is expected to deploy Sergio Herrera in goal, with Rubén Peña, David García, Catena and Juan Cruz at the back. Moncayola, Torró and Aimar Oroz should control midfield, while Rubén García, Budimir and José Arnaiz provide the attacking options, offering spillover points when counters break quickly.
Mallorca vs Valencia — likely lineups
- Majorca is tipped to use Rajković in goal, with Gio González, Nastasic, Valjent and Lato across the back. Antonio Sánchez, Samú Costa, Darder and Dani Rodríguez should line up in midfield, while Muriqi and Abdon lead the attack, providing target play and occasional set-piece threats for fantasy sheets.
- Valencia’s probable setup features Mamardashvili in goal, with a back four of Thierry, Mosquera, Paulista and Cenk. Pepelu, Amallah and Javi Guerra form a sturdy midfield spine, supporting Fran Pérez, Hugo Duro and Diego López in attack, with rotation across the frontline to keep players fresh for midweek fixtures.
Seville vs radius — expected lineups
- Sevilla is forecast to start Nyland in goal, with a defensive quartet of Juanlu, Bade, Ramos and Pedrosa. In midfield, Jordan, Sow and Rakitic will supply creativity and balance, while Ocampos, Rafa Mir and Lukebakio spearhead the attack, creating varied attacking angles for fantasy owners.
- Rayo is projected to line up with Dimitrievski in goal, a back four of Balliu, Aridane, Lejeune and Espino, and a midfield trio of Ciss, Unai López and Kike Pérez. Isi, Raúl de Tomás and Álvaro García should provide the thrust in attack, with the potential for explosive moments in transition play.
Villarreal vs Las Palmas — anticipated XIs
- Villarreal is expected to field Jorgensen in goal, with Kiko Femenía, Gabbia, Albiol and Pedraza forming the defense. Capoué, Parejo and Trigueros should compose midfield, with Yéremy Pino, Sörloth and Morales or Gerard up front, offering a mix of creative play and goal threat from multiple sources.
- Las Palmas is likely to start Alvaro Valles in goal, with Araujo or Lemos, Alex Suárez, Mika Mármol and Sergi Cardona in defense. Loiodice, Perrone and Kirian will support Munir, Marc Cardona and Jonathan Viera in attack, aiming to exploit spaces behind pressing lines.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Sociedad — projected teams
- Atlético is expected to name Oblak in goal, with Nahuel Molina, Savic, Giménez or Witsel, and Hermoso in defense, and Samuel Lino on the left. In midfield, De Paul, Koke and Saúl should operate behind a front two of Griezmann and Morata, balancing solidity with attacking support from wide areas.
- Real Sociedad is anticipated to start Remiro in goal, with Traoré, Zubeldía, Jon Pacheco or Le Normand and Aihen in the backline. Brais Méndez, Zubimendi and Mikel Merino will form the hub of the midfield, while Kubo, Sadiq and Barrenetxea lead the attack, combining creativity with finishing quality for owners chasing differential points.
Alavés vs Betis — expected lineups
- Alavés could begin with Silvera in goal, a back line featuring Gorosabel, Rafa Marín, Sedlar and Rubén Duarte, and a midfield trio of Benavidez, Guevara and Ianis Hagi. Up front, Álex Sola, Kike García and Luis Rioja are set to act as the attacking trio, with the willingness to press and probe spaces behind Girona and Real Madrid’s fixtures.
- Betis’ probable XI includes Claudio Bravo in goal, with Bellerín, Pezzella, Bartra or William Carvalho, and Miranda at the back. Marc Roca, Guido and Isco may pull the strings in midfield, while Abde, Ayoze and Diaio or Rodri lead the forward line, aiming for quick combinations and smart runs in behind defenses.
Likely lineups for Celta vs Getafe
- Celta is expected to name Iván Villar in goal, a defense of Mingueza, Aidoo, Unai Núñez, Starfelt and Ristic. In midfield, From the tower might anchor the unit with Fran Beltrán and Bamba, while Aspas and Larsen lead the attack, offering a mix of experience and youthful movement to unlock tight blocks.
- Getafe’s lineup in mind includes David Soria, Damián, Mitrovic, Gastón and Diego Rico in defense, with Óscar, Djené, Maksimović and Arambarri in midfield. Jaime Mata, Borja Mayoral lead the front line, providing poise and a goal threat for late-game fantasy clean sheets.
Granada vs Barcelona — probable selections
- Granada could set Andre Ferreira between the posts, with a defensive setup that might include Ricard, Torrent, Ignasi Miquel and Neva. In midfield, Callejón, Sergio Ruiz, Gumbau and Bryan could operate behind Uzuni and Boye, creating chances through quick interchanges and firing runs into the box.
- Barcelona’s probable XI features Ter Stegen in goal, with Araujo or Iñigo Martínez, Koundé, Christensen and Balde across the back. In midfield, Gundogan, Romeu and Gavi support a front three of Lamine Yamal, Ferran and Joao Félix, blending possession, pace and clever movement for the fantasy benches.