La Liga leaders Real Madrid head east to take on sixth place Villarreal on Saturday in the best matchup of the weekend in Spain. Los Blancos are 16-5-2 on the season and have won two of their last three games, while the Yellow Submarine have back-to-back wins and are looking to jump into the top four with a victory against the capital club.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 12 | Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Location: Estadio de la Ceramica
- TV and live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Villarreal +155; Draw +245; Real Madrid +170 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Team news
Villarreal: Francis Coquelin (Achilles), Paco Alcacer (muscle) and Ruben Pena (shoulder) have all been out since the end of last year, while center-back Raul Albiol is one yellow card away from a suspension. Otherwise, Unai Emery’s team seems well equipped to give Los Blancos a run for their money at home.
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Real Madrid: All eyes will be on whether Karim Benzema plays as he’s been dealing with his thigh injury. He appears on the verge of returning, but it seems likely that Carlo Ancelotti will rest him ahead of next Tuesday’s massive Champions League showdown against PSG. Meanwhile, fullback Ferland Mendy is expected to return soon from his hamstring injury, but it is not likely to be this weekend.
Prediction
Ancelotti rests several key players, and they only pick up a point on the road despite having a chance at all three. Pick: Villarreal 1, Real Madrid 1
