Real Madrid vs Villarreal: Preview, predictions and lineups
- Real Madrid host Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday evening
- Los Blancos aiming to bounce back from shock 1-0 defeat to Lille
- Villarreal would leapfrog Madrid with victory at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid are aiming to close the gap on Clasico rivals Barcelona on Saturday when they face Villarreal in La Liga.
Los Blancos had made an unbeaten start to the new season until a surprise defeat to French outfit Lille in the Champions League midweek. Even the introduction of Kylian Mbappe off the bench couldn't prevent them from slumping to a 1-0 loss.
However, the reigning Spanish and European champions remain unbeaten in La Liga after an eventful Madrid derby with neighbours Atletico last weekend. A 95th-minute equaliser from Angel Correa stopped Carlo Ancelotti's side from taking full advantage of Barcelona's eye-catching 4-2 defeat to Osasuna.
Villarreal are certain to pose Madrid a tough challenge on Saturday night given they currently sit third in the table and just a point off Los Blancos. Marcelino's side have won five of their opening eight La Liga matches, with only table-toppers Barca scoring more than them.
Here is 90min's guide to Real Madrid's weekend clash.
What time does Real Madrid vs Villarreal kick-off?
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
- Date: Saturday 5 October
- Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
- Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez
- VAR: Daniel Jesus Trujillo Suarez
Real Madrid vs Villarreal H2H Record (Last Five Games)
- Real Madrid: 2 wins
- Villarreal: 2 wins
- Draws: 1
Current form (all competitions)
Real Madrid | Villarreal |
|---|---|
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid - 02/10/24 | Villarreal 3-1 Las Palmas - 30/09/24 |
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Real Madrid - 29/09/24 | Espanyol 1-2 Villarreal - 26/09/24 |
Real Madrid 3-2 Deportivo Alaves - 24/09/24 | Villarreal 1-5 Barcelona - 22/09/24 |
Real Madrid 4-1 Espanyol - 21/09/24 | Mallorca 1-2 Villarreal - 14/09/24 |
Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart - 17/09/24 | Valencia 1-1 Villarreal - 31/08/24 |
How to watch Real Madrid vs Villarreal on TV and live stream
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Premier Sports 2, Premier Sports Player, LaLigaTV |
United States | fuboTV, ESPN+, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes |
Canada | TSN3, TSN5, TSN+ |
Real Madrid team news
Mbappe returned sooner than expected against Lille but that's where the good news stops for Ancelotti. He remains without David Alaba, Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz and others have filled up the treatment room in recent weeks.
Thibaut Courtois missed the defeat to Lille and will be replaced by Andriy Lunin again on Saturday. Eder Militao, who scored in last weekend's Madrid derby, is also a doubt after being withdrawn in the second half on Wednesday with a thigh issue.
Rodrygo was also an absentee for the trip to France midweek but should be fit to feature from the start this weekend. Mbappe should replace Endrick up front and Aurelien Tchouameni may plug the gap in defence if Militao is sidelined.
Real Madrid confirmed lineup vs Villarreal
Real Madrid confirmed lineup vs Villarreal (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Modric, Camavinga, Valverde; Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius.
Villarreal team news
Villarreal could well be without their top scorer on Saturday, with Ayoze Perez expected to miss the trip to Madrid. He's scored six goals already this term while partnering Thierno Barry but is likely to be sidelined with a muscle problem.
Denis Suarez is also a doubt for the weekend and will join Gerard Moreno, Willy Kambwala, Alfonso Pedraza and Juan Foyth on the sidelines if he misses out.
Villarreal are without Alexander Sorloth for this one following his move to Atletico Madrid over the summer, with the Norwegian having scored four times for the Yellow Submarine in a 4-4 draw with Madrid last season.
Villarreal predicted lineup vs Real Madrid
Villarreal predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (4-4-2): Conde; Femenia, Bailly, Costa, Cardona; Akhomach, Parejo, Gueye, Baena; Pepe, Barry.
Real Madrid vs Villarreal score prediction
These two sides have clashed five times over the past two seasons, combining for 26 goals in those meetings. There was a 4-4 draw and 4-1 victory for Madrid last season, while Villarreal managed a 3-2 win at the Bernabeu in 2022/23.
Villarreal may have scored 17 times in their opening eight matches but only bottom two Real Valladolid and Las Palmas have conceded more than them. Madrid's immense attacking firepower should get some joy against Marcelino's men in what promises to be a thriller.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-2 Villarreal
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