Real Madrid vs Villarreal – News and Probable Lineups

Real Madrid will look to get back on track in Spain’s top flight as they face Villarreal at home on Saturday evening.

Los Blancos currently occupy the fourth position in the La Liga standings, having gathered 15 points from their first seven fixtures this season, while Villarreal sits ninth with eight points.

Match overview

Real Madrid find themselves six points behind Barcelona, who lead the league, as Jose Mourinho’s team currently holds fourth place in the standings. They have recorded two defeats in their last four league games, including a loss to Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby prior to the international break.

Despite some encouraging performances this season, Barcelona’s remarkable form allows for little margin of error, placing considerable pressure on Mourinho to secure a victory in this encounter.

Los Blancos are about to embark on a crucial sequence of fixtures leading up to the end of October, which includes Champions League matches against Roma and RB Leipzig, alongside La Liga clashes against Villarreal, Sevilla, and Barcelona during a demanding stretch in the top tier of Spanish football.

Historically, Real Madrid boasts a favorable record against Villarreal, with only six defeats in their previous 55 encounters, and they have triumphed in the last four meetings between the sides.

However, Villarreal does have a recent victory over Real Madrid in away league play, having won 3-2 in this matchup in April 2023.

Villarreal’s season has been disappointing thus far, with four losses in all competitions already, yet the Yellow Submarine approaches this match after winning their last two outings.

Indeed, Inigo Perez’s side secured a 3-1 win over Malaga on September 17 and followed it up with another 3-1 victory against Levante three days later, helping them ascend the league table.

Currently, Villarreal is in ninth place with a record consisting of two wins, two draws, and three defeats, totaling eight points—seven points behind their upcoming opponents.

The Yellow Submarine is also in this season’s Champions League, with Napoli coming up next week, alongside a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on October 20.

Additionally, Villarreal has league matches against Elche, Valencia, and Espanyol scheduled before the month’s conclusion, as well as a Copa del Rey tie with Manacor.

Team News

Real Madrid is set to have both Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate in their starting lineup on Saturday after the duo has recovered from knee injuries sustained during the international break.

However, Federico Valverde is facing a late fitness test on the ankle injury he suffered in the Madrid derby, putting his participation in doubt.

Additionally, Eder Militao (muscle), Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hip), Raul Asencio (leg), and Dean Huijsen (suspended) are all unavailable for the clash against Villarreal.

Aurelien Tchouameni and Bernardo Silva could form the midfield duo, while Arda Guler is also likely to play a role in the starting team.

On the Villarreal side, Tajon Buchanan (hamstring) will miss the match due to his injury, but the visitors appear to have a healthy squad otherwise.

Head coach Perez faces a significant decision regarding his attacking options, as Ayoze Perez and Georges Mikautadze both found the net in their last match; the latter may be chosen to start this fixture.

Santi Comesana is back from injury and should contribute in midfield, while Nicolas Pepe might gain a chance due to Buchanan’s absence.

Real Madrid probable starting XI:

Courteous; Dumfries, Konate, Rudiger, Carreras; Tchouameni, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

Villarreal probable starting XI:

Gulacsi; Mourino, Navarro, Veiga, Cardona; Comesana, Gueye; Akhomach, Miller, Pepe; Mikautadze

Villarreal has the capability to make this encounter challenging for Real Madrid, and while a goal from the visitors is anticipated, Los Blancos should manage to secure all three points.