Villarreal Set to Battle Real Madrid: Key Matchups, Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed
Runner-up Real Madrid travel to the Estadio de la Cerámica to take on third-positioned Villarreal this Saturday night.
Following a catastrophic November and a Spanish Super Cup final loss that led to Xabi Alonso's dismissal, Real Madrid trail their eternal rivals Barcelona by just a single point in the La Liga championship race. Under Álvaro Arbeloa's fresh guidance, Los Blancos recovered from an unexpected Copa del Rey elimination and claimed wins against Levante and Monaco, netting eight combined goals across their last two encounters.
Villarreal await the 15-time European titleholders next. Manuel Pellegrini's squad is experiencing a rough patch currently, yet they remain a dangerous opponent on home turf in La Liga, earning 25 from a potential 30 points thus far in the 2025–26 campaign.
Real Madrid enter this challenging venue buoyed by their 6–1 demolition of Monaco and their 3–1 triumph over Villarreal from October. The Yellow Submarine, however, will be eager for payback, particularly since they haven't beaten Los Blancos since the 2022–23 campaign.
What Time Does Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?
What Time Does Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Villarreal (LLWWL) | Real Madrid (WWLLW) |
|---|---|
Villarreal 1–2 Ajax | Real Madrid 6–1 Monaco |
Real Betis 2–0 Villarreal | Real Madrid 2–0 Levante |
Villarreal 3–1 Alavés | Albacete 3–2 Real Madrid |
Elche 1–3 Villarreal | Barcelona 3–2 Real Madrid |
Villarreal 0–2 Barcelona | Atlético Madrid 1–2 Real Madrid |
How to Watch Villarreal vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
How to Watch Villarreal vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States | ESPN Select, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV |
United Kingdom | Disney+ |
Canada | TSN+ |
Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+ |
Villarreal Team News
Villarreal Team News
Villarreal's 2–0 loss to Real Betis last weekend became more damaging when both Santi Comesaña and Santiago Mouriño received bookings from the official. The former was dismissed in the 76th minute while the latter accumulated his fifth yellow card in La Liga.
Both players are consequently banned for Saturday's encounter with Real Madrid. They accompany the sidelined Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa and Pau Cabanes due to injuries.
Alfonso Pedraza, meanwhile, undergoes a final fitness assessment. The left-back sustained a nasal fracture against Real Betis last weekend and remained on the bench during the team's midweek loss to Ajax.
Villarreal Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Villarreal Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Villarreal predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (5-4-1): Júnior; Navarro, Foyth, Veiga, Pedraza; Buchanan, Gueye, Parejo, Moleiro; Moreno, Mikautadze.
Real Madrid Team News
Real Madrid Team News
Arbeloa's offensive line receives a significant lift with Rodrygo's comeback. The Brazilian star sat out Real Madrid's previous three matches due to a minor muscular problem, but he has resumed training and is ready for Saturday's selection.
Brahim Díaz has also rejoined the squad after completing his Africa Cup of Nations duties. The Moroccan midfielder would be eager to overcome his missed penalty attempt with a strong showing against Villarreal, though he's likely to start as a substitute.
Despite these two comebacks, Real Madrid remain without the injured Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy. Aurélien Tchouaméni will also be absent from the journey after receiving his fifth La Liga yellow card last weekend.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Villarreal
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Villarreal
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Villarreal (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Güler, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinicius Junior.
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
Real Madrid may have scored six against Monaco on Tuesday, but they aren't anticipated to enjoy similar success against a Villarreal team that can frustrate opponents with an organized defensive setup. The room and opportunities Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé discovered in the Champions League will be limited in La Liga.
Nevertheless, the two star attackers, along with Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, possess sufficient attacking quality to find the net against a side with only two victories in their previous seven fixtures across all tournaments.
The match will probably be a tactical battle and lack the brilliance of Real Madrid's recent victory, but Arbeloa's team, performing with renewed belief and style, will manage to secure maximum points.