Updated: 2024
This Sunday, Real Madrid travels to Villarreal for a late kickoff in the Spanish La Liga. It has been a messy off-season for Los Galacticos with rumours of internal unrest, a battle for power and influence between Head Coach Zinedine Zidane and Club President Florentino Perez, and protracted transfer sagas surrounding Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez. However, both these players have now been reintegrated into the team, and Eden Hazard should be nearing a return as well. Will it be enough to see them past Villarreal?
Signs haven’t been particularly encouraging in the first two games for Real Madrid. Although they started off with an excellent display at Celta Vigo winning 4-1, the game also saw a red card to key midfielder Luka Modric, and was followed by a disappointing draw against Valladolid at the Bernabeu. Pre-season was hardly a success either, with a sensational 7-1 defeat against local rivals Atletico Madrid as the ultimate low-point.
However, Villarreal have hardly enjoyed a more promising start to their season. In the season opener against newly promoted Granada, they led the game three times yet still ended up with a 4-4 result. In the second fixture against Levante they took an early lead but conceded two silly penalties in the second half and ended up losing the game.
Villarreal will be without Alberto Moreno who joined the club from Liverpool over the summer, while Bruno and Ruben Pena are major doubts. The injury situation is far more critical for Real Madrid, with Ferland Mendy, Brahim Diaz and long-term absentee Marco Asensio all sidelined. To add to their woes, James picked up an injury against Valladolid that will keep him out for a few weeks, while Isco and Eden Hazard are major doubts.
Real Madrid are obviously the favourites although the extensive list of injuries and the continuation of their poor form will worry their supporters. In the past 10 games between the two sides here, Madrid have only won 4 of them, with 2 victories for Villarreal and 4 draws. At the Estadio de la Cerámica, the past two fixtures between the teams have ended in 2-2 draws.
The bookies do hold Madrid as favourites (10/11 at Bethard) but that prize also indicates that it will be a tough challenge. Indeed, Villarreal are only 11/4 with William Hill so an upset here is hardly unlikely.
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Live streaming the game is possible through a number of licensed bookmakers, such as Bet 365 who offer live streaming services for all Spanish league games. If the drama surrounding Real Madrid for the past year is any indication, you would not want to miss this fixture. Kickoff is 8pm (UK).
