Villarreal vs Real Madrid predictions and match preview for Thursday’s Segunda División fixture. Read on for analysis as the sides meet for the second time in a fortnight.
| Date | Thursday 19th January 2022 |
| Kick-Off | 21:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Ceramica |
| Competition | Copa del Rey |
Villarreal vs Real Madrid Preview
This is the standout fixture in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and it’s a really tough one for Real Madrid to have on the back of their disappointing Supercopa Final in Saudi Arabia. They lost on this ground in LaLiga less than a fortnight ago and Villarreal will be eyeing up another win here.
They’ve no reason not to fancy this. Having played last Friday in Vigo, Villarreal have had a nice rest so you’d imagine it’ll be quite a strong XI that Quique Setien names for this tie. The Copa del Rey is a trophy that Villarreal have never won but they’d certainly be a very strong contender in this year’s competition were they to win this match and knock out Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
It’s still quite hard to know what to make of Setien’s Villarreal. They were excellent against Real Madrid the weekend before last with goals from Yeremi Pino and Gerard Moreno sealing a deserved 2-1 win. However they were really poor against Celta last time out, having just 3 attempts on goal while their lowly opponents managed 21. A 1-1 draw was a good outcome in the end but they can’t afford to play like that again too often.
Real Madrid are also a somewhat puzzling side. The defending European and Spanish champions they may be, but too often they unconvince and defensively there are clearly problems that don’t have an easy fix. The January transfer window does offer them the opportunity to bring some fresh blood in, although it’s unlikely we’ll see any major business done at the Santiago Bernabeu this month.
They were well beaten in the Supercopa Final by Barcelona at the weekend and their form since the World Cup has been pretty poor overall. They’ve not won any of their 3 games in 90 minutes since an unconvincing triumph over Cacereno in the 3rd Round of the Copa del Rey. Their fringe players haven’t brought much to the table this season and that’s a worry here with Ancelotti likely to rotate in some areas.
Score Prediction: Villarreal 2-1 Real Madrid
It wouldn’t be a big shock if this went the same way as the recent league meeting. There may well be a bit of fatigue amongst Real Madrid’s starters after their exploits in Saudi Arabia which also saw them taken to penalties in the Semi-Final against Valencia. With a tough but important league game in Bilbao this weekend, Ancelotti will surely rest some key players here and it’s a good opportunity for Villarreal to progress into the Quarter Finals.
PLEASE NOTE – Our Copa del Rey predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
