Villarreal vs Real Madrid prediction 24.01.2026 | La Liga

The 2025/26 season is excellent for Villarreal so far. They look well placed to maintain a top-four position in La Liga and secure another appearance in the Champions League. However, they urgently need to get back on track, as the Yellow Submarine have won only two of the last seven matches across all competitions. In the previous game, Villarreal lost 2-1 at home against Ajax. Although the contest was evenly balanced, the visitors' superior efficiency in key moments ultimately proved decisive.

Villarreal lost against Ajax, but the head coach Marcelino praised the effort of his players. He said, "I can't reproach the players for anything. They put in a huge effort and created goalscoring chances, which we always say is the most important thing. But we didn't finish them. The Champions League has been very cruel to these players. We'll take it as a lesson. It must help us grow."

Villarreal have problems with missing players. Santi Comesana and Santiago Mourino are suspended, while Pau Cabanes, Logan Costa, Thiago Fernandez, and Willy Kambwala are injured for Saturday's game against Real Madrid.

The atmosphere at Real Madrid is not the best this season, but they are still in contention for trophies in most competitions. In La Liga, the team from the Spanish capital is only one point behind league leader Barcelona. The last few weeks were turbulent with the sacking of Xabi Alonso, but the club found their best form in the last seven days with two victories. In the most recent outing, Real Madrid won 6-1 at home against Monaco. After the best performance of the season, Los Blancos will travel to Villarreal with a lot of confidence. 

The most important news from Real Madrid is that Vinicius Junior is close to signing a new contract. There was a lot of speculation about the Brazilian's future and possible transfer to Saudi Arabia, but it seems that one of the best players in the world will remain in the club. 

Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended and will not travel to Villarreal. Also, due to injuries, unavailable are Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.