Real Madrid vs Villarreal: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

Real Madrid and Villarreal will lock horns at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, and it’s a match that will see both clubs trying to get back to winning ways in LaLiga after their convincing displays in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

Real Madrid defeated Kairat Almaty on the road, while Villarreal had to work hard to clinch a point following a 2-2 draw against Juventus. Real Madrid are the odds-on favorite, though, and they’re on a four-game undefeated run against Villarreal across all competitions (W3, D1).

Real Madrid Ready to Bounce Back in LaLiga

Real Madrid needed a bounce-back performance following their humbling loss to Atletico Madrid in the derby last weekend, and they took advantage of the fact they were facing one of the weakest sides in the UEFA Champions League, Kairat Almaty, to dispatch a 5-0 victory. However, Los Merengues now need to get back to winning ways in LaLiga, because if they don’t, they’ll be at risk of seeing Barcelona slip away at the top of the standings.

Xabi Alonso’s team had won each of their seven matches across all competitions before their 5-2 loss against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano. It’s fair to wonder how the hosts will respond in their first domestic contest since the 5-2 defeat. They already issued a response in the form of the 5-0 thrashing of Kairat Almaty, but facing Villarreal represents a bigger test for Los Merengues. The head-to-head record favors Madrid, as they’ve won five of their last seven at home against Villarreal (W5, D1, L1).

Real Madrid Injury & Suspension News

Antonio Rudiger (thigh), Trent Alexander-Arnold (hamstring), Dani Carvajal (calf) and Ferland Mendy (hamstring) are injured and won’t be available for Real Madrid. In other words, their squad should be unchanged compared to the side that defeated Kairat in the UCL on Tuesday.

El Submarino Amarillo Looks to Sink the Merengue Ship

Villarreal were only a few minutes away from beginning their UEFA Champions League campaign with back-to-back defeats, but a late header from Renato Veiga allowed them to clinch a point against Juventus in midweek. That draw at home extended Villarreal’s current undefeated streak in all competitions to four contests (W3, D1).

Marcelino has led his side to wins against Osasuna, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga in between the two UCL contests, so it’s clear that Villarreal are performing at a high level at the domestic level. However, this is a team that is far more successful playing at home than on the road, and their W1, D1, L2 record away from Estadio La Ceramica supports that. As good as Villarreal have been in recent weeks at the domestic level, and acknowledging that they’ve enjoyed an excellent start to the season (W5, D1, L1), this is going to be their toughest test to date.

Villarreal Injury & Suspension News

Villarreal will have plenty of players sidelined for this trip to Madrid. The list includes Ayoze Perez (thigh), Pau Navarro (international duty), Gerard Moreno (hamstring), Willy Kambwala (hamstring), Juan Foyth (muscular), Logan Costa (knee) and Pau Cabanes (knee). That means Marcelino will have to find replacements pretty much across the field for the long list of absentees.

Real Madrid vs Villarreal Prediction

Villarreal boast decent firepower in the attack, led by Georges Mikautadze, but this is a team that has scored only three goals in their four away matches this season. Plus, they’re also missing several regulars on both sides of the ball, and the lack of depth will be something they won’t be able to overcome against a star-studded Real Madrid side. Expect Los Merengues to win this match.

CryptoGamba tip: Real Madrid to win – 1.47 @ JackBit