Villarreal vs Real Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Villarreal are seeking to go again and chase Real Madrid at the top end of the table in La Liga as the Yellow Submarine welcome Los Blancos to El Madrigal this weekend.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player & Disney+ / US – ESPN+
Villarreal preview: In the top four
Villarreal have given up on the UEFA Champions League and they continued their slow march towards the end of their fairly embarrassing league phase campaign with a 2-1 defeat at home to Ajax in midweek, meaning it is now one point from seven matches.
In La Liga, though, Villarreal have been extremely impressive with Marcelino’s men tucked inside the top three, eight points behind league leaders Barcelona with a game-in-hand, albeit they did suffer a 2-0 loss to Real Betis at La Cartuja last weekend.
Real Madrid preview: Stumbling Los Blancos
Real Madrid come into this one on the back of a 6-1 demolition of Monaco at the Bernabeu in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, annihilating their hapless opposition with an energy and efficiency not seen thus far this season.
Los Blancos had begun the reign of Alvaro Arbeloa with a shock 3-2 defeat to Albacete in the Copa del Rey before they then managed to ease themselves to an impressive 2-0 defeat of Levante in the Spanish capital city the other day.
Villarreal team news: Return of Akhomach & Gueye
Ilias Akhomach and Pape Gueye played against each other in the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations but the pair should return for this weekend’s visit of Masrid.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Junior; Pau Navarro, Foyth, Veiga, Alfonso; Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Mikautadze, Ayoze
Unavailable: Costa (Injured), Kambwala (Injured), Santi Comesana (Suspended), Pau Cabanes (Injured)
Questionable:
Real Madrid team news: Rudiger & Rodrygo doubtful
Real Madrid have a couple of injury doubts for this one, Antonio Rudiger and Rodrygo, while Morocco international Brahim Diaz will return from AFCON this weekend.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Fede Valverde, Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Camavinga; Guler, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Mastantuono, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
Unavailable: Eder Militao (Injured), Mendy (Injured), Alexander-Arnold (Injured)
Questionable: Rudiger (Injured), Rodrygo (Injured)
Villarreal vs Real Madrid prediction
Real Madrid have been in crisis. However, the return of Antonio Pintus as fitness coach is expected to propel them forward in the short-term with a lot more intensity and energy, albeit it may lead to them falling away in May. That should mean they are a lot more entertaining to watch. Villarreal will welcome that and believe they can punish them going the other way and so quite a fun watch for the neutral seems a good bet on Saturday night.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid tip: Over 2.5 goals
