Real Madrid hosts Villarreal in a match-up of two Spanish clubs that have often made their mark in continental competition. For the visitors, it most often comes in the secondary tournament that is the UEFA Europa League, but the principle still holds.
You often see the names of these two sides showing up in the later stages of European football brackets.
Real Madrid vs Villarreal FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Dec. 17, 2023, 8 pm, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
Real Madrid Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
La Liga Standings: Real Madrid 2nd, 39 pts Villarreal 14th, 16 pts
La Liga Form: Real Madrid DWWWD Villarreal LDWLL
Google Result Probability: Real Madrid Win 77% Draw 14% Villarreal Win 9%
Carlo Ancelotti’s side come into this one off the back of a 3-2 UEFA Champions League win at Union Berlin in midweek. The result gave Madrid a perfect six wins from six matches to close out UCL group stage play.
Hey, there is a reason they’re called the Reyes del Europa. Now let’s see if they can carry that positive momentum from Europe into the domestic competition.
Real Madrid Starting 11 Prediction vs Villarreal
Kepa Arrizabalaga; Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy; Federico Valverde, Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos; Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo, Joselu
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.