Overview
- Kickoff is 21:00 CEST at the Santiago Bernabéu, with coverage on DAZN/LaLiga TV in Spain, ESPN and Disney+ across much of Latin America, Sky Sports in Mexico, and ESPN Select/ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes in the United States.
- Madrid return to league play after a 5-2 derby defeat and a midweek 5-0 Champions League win at Kairat Almaty, where Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick.
- Reports list Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy as out with Éder Militão a doubt, and Xabi Alonso stated that no player has told him they refuse to play a position.
- Media published probable XIs featuring Courtois, Militao and Mbappé for Madrid and Luiz Júnior, Rafa Marín and Nicolás Pépé for Villarreal, and Guillermo Cuadra Fernández is assigned as referee.
- Villarreal arrive third with 16 points after three straight league wins and a 2-2 draw with Juventus, and betting previews predict an open, high-scoring match with Mbappé a popular goalscorer pick.