Villarreal vs Real Madrid Tips & Preview - Los Blancos to maintain momentum

By Tolu Shotade

22 Jan 2026

Tolu Shotade 22 Jan 2026

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Real Madrid close in on La Liga's top spot, aiming to extend their winning streak.
Villarreal struggling with defense, losing five of their last seven matches.
Historically, Real Madrid hold the advantage with more wins in past encounters.

Villarreal vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid appear to be finding their rhythm under the new manager as they travel to Villarreal for a Spanish La Liga fixture on Saturday.

Sitting just one point off the leaders Barcelona, Los Blancos will be keen to maintain their momentum. They should have the upper hand over the hosts, who have been out of sorts in recent weeks.

Villarreal News

Villarreal have hit a rough patch in recent weeks, with five defeats in their last seven matches across all competitions. They remain third in the La Liga table but have Atletico Madrid breathing down their necks.

Marcelino's team suffered a 2-0 defeat at Real Betis last time out in La Liga before falling 3-1 at home to Ajax in a midweek Champions League fixture. The defeat to the Dutch side is also part of a poor record in front of their fans, having lost three of their last four home matches across all competitions.

One of the issues for Villarreal is that they adopt an open style of play, which often leaves them exposed at the back. Their last three matches across all competitions have produced over 1.5 second-half goals.

Real Madrid News

Real Madrid took advantage of Barcelona's stumble to live one point off the pace after claiming a 2-0 victory over Levante last time out in La Liga. They followed up that result with a 6-1 triumph over Monaco in a Midweek Champions League fixture.

Los Blancos have now won their last two matches under Alvaro Arbeloa and will be keen to maintain that good form. They are also unbeaten in their last five La Liga away matches.

Real Madrid’s attacking firepower has been consistent throughout the season, and they have scored over 1.5 goals in their last nine matches across all competitions. Their last three fixtures have also produced over 1.5 goals after the break.

Head to Head

Real Madrid have six wins and four draws, while Villarreal have picked up just two victories in the last 12 matches. Los Blancos claimed a 3-1 home victory in the reverse fixture back in October.

Verdict

Villarreal v Real Madrid

Real Madrid are beginning to settle under the new boss and, having scored over 1.5 goals in their last nine matches, a repeat is expected here. Both teams seem to have a habit of leaving things till after the break, and the second half could be tipped to produce over 1.5 goals.

Villarreal have been out of sorts lately, while Real Madrid will be fired up to maintain the pressure on leaders Barcelona. Given their record in this fixture, Los Blancos should have the upper hand here.

Real Madrid

Over 1.5 Goals

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Over 1.5 Goals

In The Second Half

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Real Madrid

To Win

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