Real Madrid receives Villarreal tonight (9pm) at the Bernabéu, a match that is marked by what happened the previous season, when the Submarino won in Chamartín (2-3) and Fede Valverde attacked Álex Baena in the stadium parking lot. , an action that went unpunished when the case was filed by a court in Castellón.
The match comes to Madrid at a good time after the whites achieved a complete victory in the Champions League. Ancelotti is close to announcing the renewal and the team has only had one defeat so far this season (at the Metropolitano), despite the plague of injuries. For tonight it is not expected that any of the casualties will be able to recover but after the break players like Vinícius, Tchouaméni or the unprecedented Arda Güler may be available.
At Villarreal this week not much has been said about Valverde's aggression towards his player. The coach is different and the club wants to turn the page. The Submarine has just suffered a heavy defeat at home on the last day (0-3 at the hands of Real Sociedad, although they beat Rennes this Thursday in the Europa League, 2-3), but it has been a blot on the good progress of the team since Marcelino García Toral has led it, which can boast a record of four wins, two draws and one loss.
The Submarine needs to add to move away from the danger zone. He is thirteenth, with 16 points. The biggest problem for the groguets is their legion of injuries. Villarreal goes to the Bernabeu under minimum conditions. To the already known absences of Denis Suárez, Santi Comesaña and Yeremy Pino, Juan Foyth and Francis Coquelin are added this week.
In Madrid the main question is who will occupy the goal. Kepa played against Unión Berlin, but Ancelotti did not want to reveal yesterday in the press conference whether the Basque or the Ukrainian Lunin will play today, who has performed very well when he has played. In attack, the Italian coach must decide if he rewards Joselu's success in Germany, author of a double, or returns Brahim Diaz to the eleven. Rodrygo seems fixed. What is certain is that behind her will be Jude Bellingham, scorer of twelve goals in the League, a player who in every game competes for player of the season.
