As we approach the penultimate weekend of the 2023/24 La Liga season, the fight for European spots is heating up. This weekend, Villarreal will host Real Madrid at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
Match Preview
Villarreal currently sits in 8th place with 51 points.
They come into this match off the back of a solid 1-0 victory at Girona, a win that keeps their European dreams alive.
Villarreal netted the decisive goal in the 59th minute, securing an important three points.
Villarreal has been in decent form, unbeaten in five of their last six La Liga games.
They have recorded home wins against Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla, as well as an away win at Almeria.
They also picked up a draw at Athletic Bilbao, though they did suffer a narrow 3-2 loss at Celta Vigo.
Recent trends show that Villarreal has won four of their last five home matches in La Liga.
They have seen both teams score in six of their last nine home games, and four of their last five home fixtures have featured over 2.5 goals.
Real Madrid, sitting comfortably at the top of the table with 93 points, travel to Villarreal following a commanding 5-0 home win against Deportivo Alaves.
They dominated from start to finish, scoring three goals before halftime and adding two more in the second half.
This victory means Real Madrid is unbeaten in their last 24 matches across all competitions.
They have won their last four games, including La Liga victories over Cadiz and Granada, and a Champions League triumph against Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid’s stats are impressive, with nine consecutive La Liga wins.
They remain unbeaten in their last 14 league away games, winning their last four on the road.
In their recent away fixtures, both teams have scored in three of their last six, and there have been over 2.5 goals in three of their last five away games.
Team News & Updates:
Villarreal will be missing suspended defender Kiko Femenia.
They also have several injury concerns: Francis Coquelin, Juan Foyth, and Denis Suarez are out, with doubts over Alfonso Pedraza and Gerard Moreno’s fitness.
For Real Madrid, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is sidelined with an injury, and Daniel Carvajal is doubtful due to a muscle problem.
Prediction & Analysis:
Expect goals in this encounter. Both teams have shown they can find the back of the net, and recent trends support a high-scoring game.
Despite Villarreal’s good form, Real Madrid has been a juggernaut this season. We’re predicting a Real Madrid win with over 2.5 goals in the match.
- Villarreal 1-3 Real Madrid
