90min

Villarreal vs Real Madrid Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

By Grey Whitebloom

Real Madrid haven't been afforded a serene start to the season
Real Madrid haven't been afforded a serene start to the season / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
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Unai Emery's high-flying Villarreal host reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid at La Ceramica on Saturday afternoon.

El Submarino Amarillo (The Yellow Submarine) go into the weekend's fixture in the lofty position of second place, two points behind league leaders Real Sociedad. Real Madrid, having played one game fewer, are in the unfamiliar surroundings of fourth at this early stage.

Zinedine Zidane's side have already lost two league games just eight weeks into the season. They only tasted defeat three times in the entirety of the previous La Liga campaign. After an international break with their squad scattered across the globe, Villarreal have a real chance of worsening that patchy form.

Where to Watch

When Is Kick Off? Saturday 21 November
What Time Is Kick Off? 15:15 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Estadio de la Ceramica
TV Channel/Live Stream? LaLiga TV (UK), beIN Sports (US)

Team News

Despite their participation in the arduous Europa League this season, Villarreal can prepare to host Real Madrid with the vast majority of their squad fit and healthy. Alongside long-term absentee Alberto Moreno, defenders Jaume Costa and Juan Foyth are doubts for Saturday.

Sergio Ramos was forced off with a hamstring injury while playing for Spain in midweek
Sergio Ramos was forced off with a hamstring injury while playing for Spain in midweek / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Real Madrid, on the other hand, are in the midst of an injury pileup. The team's first-choice centre-back pairing of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane both picked up knocks on international duty. However, Ramos' hamstring injury may not be as serious as first feared.

Casemiro has fortunately returned to training in midweek after returning a negative COVID-19 test but Eden Hazard and Eder Militao remain in quarantine according to the Spanish publication AS. Fede Valverde has been ruled out for a month.

Karim Benzema was forced off in Madrid's last match against Valencia and could join the trio of Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola in returning from injury on the bench.

Predicted Lineups

Villarreal: Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol, Torres, Pedraza; Trigueros, Iborra, Parejo; Moreno, Alcacer, Gomez

Real Madrid: Courtois; Vazquez, Casemiro, Ramos, Mendy; Modric, Kroos, Isco; Rodrygo, Jovic, Vinicius

Recent Form

Emery's first three games at the helm of Villarreal saw his side drop points to newly promoted Huesca, earn a narrow win over Eibar and offer a woefully limp display in a 4-0 loss to Barcelona. The former Arsenal coach has since added another midfielder to the side - Vicente Iborra - and steered them to a run of nine games unbeaten across all competitions.

Zinedine Zidane's side are yet to rediscover the form which saw them clinch the La Liga title at the back end of last season
Zinedine Zidane's side are yet to rediscover the form which saw them clinch the La Liga title at the back end of last season / Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Real Madrid's opening months to the campaign have been peppered with a concerning number of uninspired spells during matches. Yet, thanks largely to the squad's immense individual quality, Zidane's team have often been able to turn results around - notably earning points via late goals in the Champions League against both Borussia Monchengladbach and Inter.

However, Los Blancos weren't able to salvage anything in a 4-1 loss to Valencia which was more bizarre than anything else. Alongside a Varane own goal, Madrid conceded three penalties. Given they only gave up two spot kicks in the entirety of the previous league campaign, this appears to be more of an anomaly rather than symptomatic of a glaring structural weakness.

Here's how each side has fared in their last five outings.

Villarreal

Getafe 1-3 Villarreal (8/11)
Villarreal 4-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv (5/11)
Villarreal 2-0 Real Valladolid (2/11)
Qarabag Agdam 1-3 Villarreal (29/10)
Cadiz 0-0 Villarreal (25/10)

Real Madrid

Valencia 4-1 Real Madrid (8/11)
Real Madrid 3-2 Inter (3/11)
Real Madrid 4-1 Huesca (31/10)
Borussia Monchengladbach 2-2 Real Madrid (27/10)
Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid (24/10)

Prediction

Real Madrid seem quite a way off securing the La Liga title this season in their current form
Real Madrid seem quite a way off securing the La Liga title this season in their current form / GABRIEL BOUYS/Getty Images

Hindered by injuries and illnesses, Real Madrid are yet to rediscover the unrelenting form which saw them grind out the La Liga title with ten consecutive victories (six by a single goal margin) post-lockdown last season.

That Villarreal are as high as second having played Barcelona and Atletico Madrid away from home points towards their undoubted quality (and the struggles La Liga's traditional elite are enduring). Depending on how many defenders Zidane can rustle up ahead of Saturday's kickoff, Villarreal will surely pose a testing opponent on home turf.

Prediction: Villarreal 1-1 Real Madrid