Real Madrid will be looking to seal their second La Liga title in eight seasons this Thursday as they welcome Villarreal to the Alfredo Di Stefano in Madrid.
The hosts who picked up their ninth win on the row in their last outing against Granada are just one win away from being confirmed as Champions for the 2019/2020 La Liga season. They enter the tie as favourites and will look to pick up all three points here.
Villarreal meanwhile missed out on the chance to play Champions League next season, with their most recent outing confirming Sevilla’s and Atletico Madrid’s place in next season’s Champions League. They however remain in contention for Europa League with just three points between them and seventh-placed Real Sociedad. A positive result here will confirm their place in the Europa League next season.
Team News
Marcelo and Nacho Fernadez are the only injury absentees for Zidane while Villarreal has as many as six players set to miss this tie with Gerard Moreno, Mariano Barbosa and Vicente Iborra all missing through suspension.
Meanwhile, Carlos Bacca, Ramiro Funes Mori and Ramiro Guerra remain injured.
Head to head
The last five meetings between both teams have seen three 2:2 draws and one win apiece for each team. In that period, only one game has featured less than 3.5 goals.
Betting preview
Real Madrid heads into this game on a nine game winning streak and I need of a win here to wrap up the La Liga title.
The hosts prior to their last outing, were also on a four game run without conceding a goal.
Their recent form has seen them usurp Barca to the top spot with a four point cushion against their perennial rivals.
Since the restart, the current league leaders have conceded only three times in eight games. In that period they did not concede more than one goal in a game.
Conversely, their last eight games have also seen them keep eight first half clean sheets with a greater number of their goals in that period coming in the second half.
Meanwhile, Villarreal until their last game were still in the hunt for a top-four finish following a wobble by Sevilla. But with their last game with Real Sociedad sealing their Champions League fate, Javier Calleja’s boys will have their attention turned to a top-seven finish.
They head into this tie on an inconsistent run of form that has seen them lose two of their last three. However, away from home, they are on a four game winning streak, with seven goals to their names.
In that period, they concede just once and kept three clean sheets. All these have come since the league’s restart.
Although in that period they did not face any superior opponent, The Yellow Submarines will fancy their chances here with Real Madrid only able to beat them twice in the last five tries.
Suggested Bets
Both teams to score/Yes @ 3/4
Madrid to win both half @ 5/4
Madrid to win @ 9/20
