Real Madrid are looking to turn the page on last week’s Madrid derby loss as Villarreal arrive at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night.
Both clubs currently occupy places in La Liga’s top three, setting the stage for a competitive showdown that could significantly impact the table.
Real Madrid team news
Defender Dani Carvajal has been ruled out for close to a month following a muscle injury sustained against Atlético. Trent Alexander-Arnold is also sidelined with a hamstring issue. The England international is projected to miss six to eight weeks, though there’s hope he may recover sooner – potentially before the end of the upcoming international break.
In addition, Antonio Rudiger remains out with a serious muscular injury; he’s anticipated to be absent for around three months. Ferland Mendy’s season has been ended prematurely by a thigh issue, while Éder Militão is nursing an ankle problem from the Atlético match and is uncertain for Villarreal, although there is still possibility he’s named in the matchday squad.
Despite these setbacks, Real Madrid received a morale boost thanks to Kylian Mbappé, who delivered an impressive hat-trick in the recent 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Kairat Almaty. Mbappé has already accumulated 13 goals for the campaign, making him a vital asset in Madrid’s attack.
Jude Bellingham, back from offseason shoulder surgery, started for the first time in the starting lineup against Atletico, though he’s still working towards full match sharpness. The England star will hope to rediscover the influential form that marked his previous campaign.
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Real Madrid predicted lineup
Possible Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Carreras, Asencio, Huijsen, García; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham; Guler, Mbappé, Vinícius
When does the match kick off?
4th October Saturday at 8pm BST.
How to watch Real Madrid vs Villarreal?
Supporters in the UK can catch all the action from this fixture live, with Disney+ providing exclusive La Liga broadcast coverage.
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