Second-place Real Madrid head to the Estadio de la Cerámica to face off with third-place Villarreal on Saturday evening.
Despite a disastrous November and a Spanish Super Cup final defeat that cost Xabi Alonso his job, Real Madrid are just one point off arch rivals Barcelona in the La Liga title race. Under the new leadership of Álvaro Arbeloa, Los Blancos bounced back from a shock Copa del Rey exit and secured victories over Levante and Monaco, sending eight total goals past their two recent opponents.
Villarreal are next up for the 15-time European champions. Manuel Pellegrini’s men are struggling for form at the minute, but remain a formidable threat at home in La Liga, collecting 25 out of a possible 30 points so far in 2025–26.
Real Madrid head into the hostile environment with the confidence from not only their 6–1 rout over Monaco, but also their 3–1 victory over Villarreal back in October. The Yellow Submarine, though, will be hungry for revenge, especially since they have not defeated Los Blancos since the 2022–23 season.
What Time Does Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?
- Location: Villarreal, Spain
- Stadium: Estadio de la Cerámica
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 24
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. GMT
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Villarreal: 0 wins
- Real Madrid: 4 wins
- Draws: 1
- Last Meeting: Real Madrid 3–1 Villarreal (Oct. 4, 2025)—La Liga
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Villarreal (LLWWL)
Real Madrid (WWLLW)
Villarreal 1–2 Ajax
Real Madrid 6–1 Monaco
Real Betis 2–0 Villarreal
Real Madrid 2–0 Levante
Villarreal 3–1 Alavés
Albacete 3–2 Real Madrid
Elche 1–3 Villarreal
Barcelona 3–2 Real Madrid
Villarreal 0–2 Barcelona
Atlético Madrid 1–2 Real Madrid
How to Watch Villarreal vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
Country
TV Channel/Live Stream
United States
ESPN Select, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, fuboTV
United Kingdom
Disney+
Canada
TSN+
Mexico
Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+
- MORE: Full list of La Liga broadcasters around the world
Villarreal Team News
Santi Comesaña saw red in the dying stages against Real Betis. | Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images
Villarreal’s 2–0 defeat to Real Betis last weekend was made even worse when both Santi Comesaña and Santiago Mouriño entered the referee’s book. The former was sent packing in the 76th minute while the latter picked up his fifth yellow card in La Liga.
Both players are therefore suspended for Saturday’s clash with Real Madrid. They join the injured Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa and Pau Cabanes on the sidelines.
Alfonso Pedraza, meanwhile, faces a late fitness test. The left back suffered a broken nose against Real Betis last weekend and was an unused substitute in the team’s midweek defeat to Ajax.
Villarreal Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Pape Gueye takes the place of the suspended Santi Comesaña. | FotMob
Villarreal predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (5-4-1): Júnior; Navarro, Foyth, Veiga, Pedraza; Buchanan, Gueye, Parejo, Moleiro; Moreno, Mikautadze.
Real Madrid Team News
Rodrygo has not made an appearance since the Spanish Super Cup final. | Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press/Getty Images
Arbeloa’s attack gets a massive boost with the return of Rodrygo. The Brazil international missed Real Madrid’s last three games due to a minor muscle injury, but he returned to training and is available for selection on Saturday.
Brahim Díaz is also back with the team following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Morocco international would love nothing more than to erase his failed panenka with an impressive performance against Villarreal, but he is only expected to feature off the bench.
Despite the two returns, Real Madrid are still without the injured Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy. Aurélien Tchouaméni will also miss out on the trip after picking up his fifth yellow card of the La Liga season last weekend.
Rodrygo returns from injury and gets the nod on the right wing. | FotMob
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Villarreal (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Güler, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinicius Junior.
Villarreal vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
Real Madrid might have sent six goals past Monaco on Tuesday, but they are not expected to have the same success against a Villarreal side capable of stifling their opponents with a disciplined low block. The space and freedom Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé found in the Champions League will be swallowed up in La Liga.
Still, the two superstar forwards, as well as Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, have more than enough firepower to get on the scoresheet against a team with just two wins in its last seven matches across all competitions.
The game will likely be a cagey affair and lack the splendor of Real Madrid’s recent win, but Arbeloa’s men, playing with a newfound confidence and swagger, will do enough to collect all three points.
Prediction: Villarreal 1–2 Real Madrid
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