Villareal vs Real Madrid – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | La Liga 2021-22

Carlo Ancelotti-Everton Manager
Carlo Ancelotti-Everton Manager

Villareal will welcome Real Madrid to Estadio de la Ceramica this Saturday night for their 24th round game of the La Liga season.

Venue: Estadio de la Ceramica (Villarreal) 

Key Statistics

Villarreal are unbeaten in five league matches (W4, D1) at home.

They have scored an impressive average of 3.4 goals per game during that sequence. 

Villarreal manager Unai Emery has lost 17 personal H2Hs with Real Madrid (W5, D3).

Real Madrid failed to score for the first time in 14 LL road matches (W11, D1, L2) last time out.

The visiting team have scored 23 league goals away from home this season. No side has scored more this term.

Head to head

The last 15 head-to-head meetings between both teams have predominantly gone the way of Real Madrid. Los Blancos have enjoyed six wins in the previous 15 games against Villarreal, who have just two wins.

Latest performances in all competitions

Villarreal: W-W-L-D-L

Real Madrid: W-L-D-L-L

Villareal

Villareal welcome runaway league leaders Real Madrid to the Estadio De La Ceramica for a high stake match. One side are seeking further to cement its spot at the top of the table, and the other trying to slip into the champions league places.

Villareal have been somewhat inconsistent since the turn of the year having gone on an impressive six games winning spree at the tail end of last year. They seem to have lost their mojo as they have only recorded two wins in their previous five matches.

Historically, this fixture does not favour the Yellow Submarines. They have only managed four wins in 45 matches against Los Blancos in all competitions, with 15 ending as draws and Madrid winning a whopping 26 times.

Villareal have all to play for as a win against Real will see them leapfrog Barcelona into fourth place, although temporarily as they have two more games.

Possible Villarreal starting line-up

Geronimo Rulli; Juan Foyth, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Alfonso Pedraza; Dani Parejo, Manu Trigueros, Etienne Capoue; Samuel Chukwueze, Arnaut Danjuma, Moreno.

Injured: Francis Coquelin and Ruben Pena 

Doubtful: Gerard Moreno

Suspended: None

Real Madrid 

Los Blancos, who are bidding to win their first La Liga title since 2019, have had an impressive season so far, picking up 53 points from their 23 matches, recording 16 wins along the way. 

Los Blanco have by far been the better team in Spain and more so have been totally dominant even while playing away from home, losing only two of their away matches and winning eight.

They have a huge Champions League clash next week away at France for the first leg of their last 16 tie, but they cannot afford to lose focus in the league with Sevilla only six points behind them with the same amount of matches played.

Carlo Ancelotti must be given serious credit for bringing good quality football back to Real Madrid. The Italian tactician has brought out the best in Brazilian wonder kid Vinicius Jr alongside fellow Brazilian Eder Militao, and Benzema has seen his game go up a notch. Under him, Madrid are playing an overall better football. 

Possible Madrid starting line-up

Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Nacho, David Alaba; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Marco Asensio, Isco, Vinicius Jnr.

Injured: Karim Benzema, Ferland Mendy

Doubtful: Mariano Diaz

Suspended: None

Prediction

Villarreal 0-2 Real Madrid