After the ecstasy of qualifying for the Copa del Rey final with a win against Barça at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid faces a demanding league test against Villarreal. It is a priori an uncomfortable duel for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, not only because of the situation in the domestic tournament, where with eleven games to go and twelve points behind Barça, the leader, the title options are reduced to a chimera, but also because the proximity of the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Chelsea.
The beloved Champions League marks the pulse in Madrid and probably decides the future of the white bench. Ancelotti is aware of this and after the wear and tear of the classic cupbearer and with the assault on a new orejona on the immediate horizon, he could opt for rotations against a tall opponent.
Waiting for the match on Monday between Barça and Girona at the Camp Nou, Madrid could be nine points off the lead, a world just like the Barça team has behaved in the League, since in 27 days they have left for the I walk only ten points. Thus, the main motivation for the Chamartín team is to consolidate the runner-up position against the push of Atlético, on a roll in this 2023. A minor objective that is far from seducing the Bernabéu.
Thus, Villarreal will arrive at the La Castellana coliseum under much greater motivation, since its notable improvement in recent weeks has allowed the Yellow Submarine to add 13 of the last 15 points at stake and give away in the final stretch of the season the possibility of fighting for fourth place in the league that qualifies for the Champions League. Quique Setién’s team will be planted at the Bernabéu sixth, four points behind Real Sociedad, whom they defeated the previous day at La Cerámica, and only one from Betis, their other great adversary in the fight for the desired Champions League.
-Probable alignments:
Real Madrid: Courtois, Lucas Vázquez, Militao, Rüdiger, Nacho, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Asensio, Benzema and Vinicius.
Villarreal: Reina, Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza, Terrats, Parejo, Baena, Chukwueze, Morales and Yéremy Pino.
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Castilian-La Mancha Committee).
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Time and TV: 9:00 p.m. Movistar LaLiga.