Villarreal vs Real Madrid

High-flying Villarreal play host to La Liga pacesetters Real Madrid at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

Villarreal have enjoyed an upturn in form heading into this matchday, going from back-to-back La Liga games without winning (D1, L1) to back-to-back league triumphs by an aggregate score of 5-0, winning both halves on each occasion. With fourth-placed Barcelona only three points away, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ will hope to defy their embarrassing 11-game La Liga form against Madrid at home (W1, D6, L4) as they seek their first win in such match-up since December 2015. But Unai Emery’s me can draw inspiration from their eye-catching home form since the start of December, having won four out five La Liga games at La Ceramica in that period (D1), each by a 2+ goal margin. Furthermore, since a 3-1 loss to Barcelona in late November, Villarreal have netted 2+ goals in each of their last five home league outings.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s four-game La Liga form in 2022 reads indifferently (W2, D1, L1), with their lone defeat coming away to bottom-half Getafe in early January. Interestingly, ‘Los Blancos’ have drawn each of their last four La Liga visits to Villarreal and could make it five away stalemates in a row against a single opposition for only the second time in the club’s top-flight history. Regardless of the outcome, this is likely to be an exciting fixture for neutrals, with four of Madrid’s last five La Liga games at La Ceramica seeing both sides net at least two goals apiece. Delivering action from the get-go, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have opened the scoring in a league-high eight (73%) of their 11 La Liga away matches this season, winning seven of them (D1).