Two of LaLiga’s top three teams clash as Real Madrid hosts Villarreal at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid will welcome Villarreal to the iconic Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 4, 2025, at 20:00 for a crucial LaLiga Round 8 encounter.
Real Madrid vs Villarreal Preview
With just two points separating them in the standings, this match could reshape the early title race. Madrid’s Mbappe, who scored twice in their last meeting, leads the attack against a resilient Villarreal side that’s lost just once in their last five games.
Both teams enter in strong form, with Madrid coming off a 5:0 Champions League win and Villarreal holding Juventus to a draw midweek.
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Real Madrid players celebrating || Imago
This match pits second-placed Real Madrid against third-placed Villarreal in what promises to be a thrilling contest between two of Spain’s top teams this season. With just two points separating the sides in the standings, this fixture could have significant implications for the early title race, as both teams look to keep pace with the league leaders.
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1, Xabi Alonso)
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (1)
Defence: Raul Asencio (17), Eder Militao (3), Dean Huijsen (24), Alvaro Carreras (18)
Midfield: Federico Valverde (8), Aurelien Tchouameni (14), Arda Guler (15), Jude Bellingham (5), Vinicius Junior (7)
Forward: Kylian Mbappe (10)
Absent: Antonio Ruediger (22), Daniel Carvajal (2), Ferland Mendy (23), Trent Alexander-Arnold (12)
Villarreal (4-3-3, Marcelino Garcia)
Goalkeeper: Luiz Junior (1)
Defence: Santiago Mourino (15), Rafa Marin (4), Renato Veiga (12), Sergi Cardona (23)
Midfield: Pape Gueye (18), Thomas Partey (16), Alberto Moleiro (20)
Forward: Tani Oluwaseyi (21), Georges Mikautadze (9), Manor Solomon (6)
Absent: Juan Foyth (8), Gerard Moreno (7), Ayoze Perez (22), Willy Kambwala (5), Logan Costa (2), Pau Cabanes (33)
Doubtful: Pau Navarro (26) – National team duty
Real Madrid vs Villarreal Head-to-Head
The recent history between these two sides has produced some thrilling encounters. In their last five meetings, Real Madrid has won three times, Villarreal once, with one high-scoring draw. Their most recent clash on March 15, 2025, saw Real Madrid secure a 2:1 victory at Estadio de la Ceramica, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice after Juan Foyth had given Villarreal an early lead.
The previous meeting at the Bernabeu in October 2024 ended in a 2:0 win for the hosts. Perhaps the most memorable recent encounter was the 4:4 thriller at Villarreal in May 2024, where Alexander Soerloth scored four goals for the home side while Arda Guler netted twice for Madrid.
Real Madrid enters this match having won four of their last five games across all competitions. They demolished Kairat Almaty 0:5 in the Champions League on September 30, with Mbappe continuing his impressive scoring form. However, they suffered a setback in the Madrid derby, losing 5:2 to Atletico Madrid on September 27.
Prior to that, Los Blancos secured comfortable victories against Levante (1:4 on September 23) and Espanyol (2:0 on September 20), after opening their Champions League campaign with a 2:1 win over Marseille on September 16. Villarreal, meanwhile, has been equally impressive, going unbeaten in four of their last five matches.
They drew 2:2 with Juventus in the Champions League on October 1 and defeated Athletic Bilbao 1:0 on September 27. The Yellow Submarine also secured victories against Sevilla (1:2 on September 23) and Osasuna (2:1 on September 20), with their only recent defeat coming against Tottenham Hotspur (1:0 on September 16) in the Champions League.
