Real Madrid vs Villarreal Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | La Liga

Real Madrid vs Villarreal Preview

• Competition: La Liga
• Date: Saturday, 4 October 2025
• Kick-off Time: 7:00 pm GMT
• Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain

Matchday eight of the 2025/26 La Liga season will include Real Madrid welcoming Villarreal at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Saturday evening. The record Spanish champions are currently in second place behind Barcelona with 18 points so far. Villarreal, on the other hand, has also been one of the top-performing clubs in Spain with a total of 16 points in the bag. The Real Madrid vs Villarreal fixture will be a crucial one for the hosts, with it being the final game before the international break.

It has been an interesting start to the season for Real Madrid fans. While the results show an impressive outing for the Los Blancos, the performances have been far from convincing. Real Madrid has not been able to assert dominance in their fixtures and were ultimately punished by city rivals, Atletico, on matchday seven at the Metropolitano. The 5-2 defeat has calmed down the excitement at the club. Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso will be aware that a lot of work still needs to be done to get Madrid back amongst the trophy discussions. Real Madrid has kept the joint-most clean sheets in La Liga (three).

Inconsistencies and mixed results have marked the recent matches of Villarreal. In the last six games, the Yellow Submarine has managed three victories to go with two defeats and a draw. During this period, Villarreal has scored seven goals and conceded seven. Marcelino Garcia has certainly delivered in the opening games of the season with an impressive 16 points from seven matches. His biggest test will come at the weekend in the form of Madrid, and the proceedings will only get more complicated as the season goes on.

Real Madrid Team News

Madrid will be without the two primary right-backs in the squad on Saturday. Daniel Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be joined by Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy on the injury list. Franco Mastantuono and Vinicius Jr. are expected to start on either side of Kylian Mbappe in attack.

Villarreal Team News

Villarreal will have a plethora of absentees due to injuries on Saturday. Logan Costa (Cruciate Ligament Injury), Pau Cabanes (Cruciate Ligament Injury), Juan Foyth (Muscle Injury), Willy Kambwala (Hamstring Injury), Ayoze Perez (Groin Injury), and Gerard Moreno (Hamstring Injury), will remain on the sidelines.

Real Madrid vs Villarreal Predicted Lineups

Here is a detailed look at the Real Madrid vs Villarreal Predicted Lineups

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Courtois

Defenders: Asencio, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras

Midfielders: Tchouameni, Bellingham, Guler

Forwards: Mastantuono, Mbappe, Vinicius

Villarreal Predicted Lineup (4-5-1)

Goalkeeper: Tenas

Defenders: Mourino, Marin, Veiga, Pedraza

Midfielders: Pepe, Comesana, Parejo, Gueye, Buchanan

Forwards: Mikautadze

Real Madrid vs Villarreal H2H Record

Overall, in the last five games between the two sides, Real Madrid has won three games with Villarreal also registering a victory. The remaining one encounter ended in a draw.

Key Players to Watch in Real Madrid vs Villarreal

Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid's impressive results at the start of the season can very well be attributed to Kylian Mbappe's splendid form. The Frenchman has scored 13 goals already for his club, eight of which have come in the league. Unsurprisingly, he sits at the top of the scoring charts in Spain. His overall play has also seen an improvement when compared to the 2024/25 campaign. Mbappe will be determined to continue his scoring streak on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Jude Bellingham is another one of Real Madrid's marquee players in the current squad. The Englishman has recovered from his shoulder surgery quicker than expected and has already integrated himself back into the playing XI. Many expect Bellingham to return to his 2023 run of form, now that his shoulder pain is gone. Bellingham will be keen to convince Xabi Alonso to view the player as a key part of his plan for the remainder of the season.

Real Madrid vs Villarreal Prediction

Real Madrid will undoubtedly begin the game as the favourites to claim the three points but the Los Blancos will have to earn the victory on the pitch. Villarreal has often been a thorn in Madrid's side over the years and will look to make the match difficult for the hosts.

Here is an overview of the Real Madrid vs Villarreal Prediction

Predicted Score: Real Madrid 3-1 Villarreal

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