La Liga 25/26: Real Madrid vs Villarreal Match Preview, Prediction, Timeline & Lineups

This must-see La Liga bout pits second-place Real Madrid (18 points) against third-place Villarreal (16 points) in a top-of-the-table fight. After a shock 5-2 derby loss, Real Madrid seeks to reassert dominance at home against the in-form Yellow Submarine, who are on a three-match winning run.

Match Details

Competition - Round: La Liga - Matchweek 8

Kick-off (GMT): 19:00, Saturday, October 4, 2025 (The match is scheduled for 21:00 CET/8:00 PM BST, which is 19:00 GMT/UTC)

Stadium, Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain

Referee: Guillermo Cuadra

Match Facts & Key Statistics

Head-to-Head (Last 5 La Liga meetings): Real Madrid leads with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.

Real Madrid Form (Last 5): W L W W W (Coming off a recent 5-2 derby loss to Atlético Madrid).

Villarreal Form (Last 5): D W W W L (Enjoying a strong league run of three consecutive wins).

Madrid's Injury Crisis: Real Madrid's defensive line is severely depleted, missing key defenders like Alexander-Arnold, Carvajal, Mendy, and Rüdiger.

Attacking Firepower: Madrid boasts exceptional form from Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler, ensuring major goal threat.

Villarreal's Strength: Villarreal has one of the league's best defensive records after seven games, often keeping matches tight.

Bernabéu Edge: Real Madrid is historically dominant at home against Villarreal, losing only 2 of the last 25 league meetings there.

Match Prediction

This match is set up to be a difficult test for Real Madrid, whose attacking prowess, led by Mbappé, is slightly overshadowed by a crisis in their injury-hit backline. Villarreal is compact, efficient, and will aim to exploit Madrid’s defensive gaps. However, the sheer motivation and quality of Los Blancos at the Bernabéu should see them edge out a narrow win in a high-scoring affair.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-2 Villarreal