Real Madrid heads to Estadio de la Cerámica to regain the top position in La Liga.
Currently, they are second, just one point behind Barcelona, making a win essential before Barcelona’s match against Real Oviedo on Sunday. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa has brought new energy since his arrival in January, highlighted by a strong 6-1 Champions League win over Monaco this week.
Villarreal, in third place with 41 points and a match in hand, presents a tough home challenge after ending their 14-match unbeaten streak at La Cerámica with a loss to Barcelona earlier this month.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 24th January.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Estadio De La Ceramica.
Villarreal team news
Manager Marcelino García Toral’s team is facing several injuries. Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa, and Pau Cabanes will miss the match due to injuries, while Santi Comesana and Santiago Mourino are suspended.
In the pre-match press conference, Marcelino discussed the challenge ahead, stating that Real Madrid consistently performs at a high level, and his team needs to make careful attacks. He emphasized that winning requires near perfection on their part and capitalizing on any chances.
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid will also be missing key defensive players. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy, and Antonio Rüdiger are out due to injuries. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is suspended after receiving yellow cards, which affects the team’s midfield stability. He has played in 18 of their 20 La Liga matches.
On a positive note, Rodrygo has returned from a minor muscle injury sustained during the Spanish Super Cup. He had six goal contributions in seven starts before his absence. Brahim Díaz is also back after his time at AFCON. Arbeloa confirmed Rodrygo’s return at a Friday press conference.
Form
Villarreal
Villarreal suffered two losses last week, falling 0-2 to Real Betis in La Liga and 1-2 to Ajax in the Champions League. With a game in hand over Real Madrid, they aim to leverage their home advantage against Arbeloa’s team.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s recent performance has been mixed but is improving under manager Álvaro Arbeloa. They recently had a heavy 6-1 win against Monaco in the Champions League on January 20, where Kylian Mbappé scored twice. Prior to that, they won 2-0 against Levante in La Liga on January 17. They’ve secured four wins in their last six matches across all competitions.
Predicted lineups
Villarreal: Junior; Navarro, Veiga, Foyth, Pedraza; Buchanan, Parejo, Gueye, Moleiro; Perez, Mikautadze
Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras; Guler, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
How to watch Villarreal vs Real Madrid?
Disney+ will stream the match live in the UK.
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