Real Madrid arrive at Estadio de la Cerámica carrying two very different weights on their shoulders. One is positive, the 6–1 rout of Monaco in the Champions League, which lifted confidence and reinforced the feeling of a team ready to fight for everything. The other is far more uncomfortable, the obligation to win so Barcelona don’t slip away at the top of La Liga.
With 48 points, just one behind their Catalan rivals, the team knows any stumble away from home could come at a heavy cost. On the other side stands a Villarreal team enjoying a season beyond expectations, sitting third with 41 points and viewing this matchup as a real chance to close in on the title race, especially with a game in hand on the top two.
Villarreal lean on home strength to respond after setback
Villarreal come in under pressure from a very specific context. The loss to Real Betis last round halted a good run in the league and highlighted the need for an immediate response in front of their fans.
In La Liga, the Yellow Submarine have been strong at home, collecting 25 points from 10 matches at Estadio de la Cerámica and rarely letting control slip when they score first. The issue is the list of absences. Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa and Pau Cabanes are out injured, while Santi Comesana and Santiago Mourino are suspended.
Recent history against Real Madrid doesn’t help ease the tension either. Villarreal have lost four of their last five La Liga meetings and come into this one on a three-game losing streak against Los Blancos. Even so, the current situation leaves no room for a passive approach. Eliminated from the Champions League after a loss to Ajax, Villarreal are now fully focused on the Spanish league.
Real Madrid look to turn European momentum into the lead
Real Madrid take the field with confidence high. The Champions League blowout adds to a run of four straight La Liga wins, including last round’s 2–0 victory over Levante, a result that kept the pressure firmly on Barcelona. The team could make it five league wins in a row for the second time this season, a stretch that would underline their growth at a critical point in the campaign. Away from home, the numbers are also solid, 21 points from 10 matches, along with a highly favorable record at Villarreal, with just two losses there since 2009.
Still, it’s not a perfect picture. Tchouaméni is suspended, while Alexander-Arnold, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Rüdiger remain sidelined through injury. One stat stands out as both comfort and warning, Real Madrid haven’t dropped a single La Liga match after scoring first this season, yet they’ve been conceding goals regularly on the road, especially against teams from the Valencia region.