Real Madrid resume their La Liga title tilt against Villarreal this weekend.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid best bets
- Villarreal or draw – 4/6 with BetMGM
- 0-0 at half-time – 11/4 with Casumo
- Kylian Mbappe to score – 6/5 with bet365
Villarreal vs Real Madrid odds
Find the latest match odds for Villarreal vs Real Madrid. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid predictions
Once again Real Madrid found a way to win in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were second best for much of their last-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid, who went ahead on the night with less than a minute on the clock.
Conor Gallagher’s early effort made it 2-2 on aggregate and it was Atletico who made the running for the rest of the first half.
Madrid improved after the break, albeit without ever reaching their destructive best. Vinicius Junior blazed a penalty over the bar after some fine work from Kylian Mbappe, leaving Atletico fans to wonder whether it would be their night.
Instead, Madrid did what Madrid always do. It was far from a vintage display from the 15-time kings of the continent, yet was anyone really surprised when they edged out Atletico on penalties?
There was a moment of controversy as Julian Alvarez’s successful spot-kick was chalked off for a double touch, swinging the momentum decisively in Madrid’s favour. The holders will face Arsenal in next month’s quarter-finals.
Unlike teams like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, both of whom are in the quarters while sitting on healthy leads domestically, Madrid cannot afford to take things easy this weekend. They are locked in a three-way tussle for the La Liga title with Atletico and Barcelona. Every league game is therefore crucial.
Madrid squeezed past Rayo Vallecano last time out, but they did not pull up any trees in that 2-1 triumph. They are level on points with Barcelona in top spot, although the Catalan club have a game in hand on their chief adversaries.
It could not be much tighter at the summit of the La Liga standings and this weekend could be a decisive one. A trip to Villarreal is far from a straightforward assignment. Meanwhile Atletico will host Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday.
“It’s difficult to find a more competitive league than Spain,” Ancelotti said last weekend.
“In Italy there aren’t many teams competing [for the title], and in England there’s Liverpool. Here, there are three teams with one point between them, teams of a very high level. It’s a league that will be decided in the last game.”

Villarreal vs Real Madrid betting tips
Villarreal host Real Madrid before La Liga breaks off for the March international break.
Villarreal or draw
Ancelotti is unlikely to rest any of his players here despite that gruelling encounter with Atletico Madrid.
The international break is coming up and it would not be a surprise if certain Real Madrid players pulled out of their national team squads. Besides, the tightness of the La Liga title race dictates that Madrid must name their strongest possible XI on Saturday.
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On top of that, a visit to Villarreal is far from a gimme, even if Marcelino’s men have been stronger away from home than on their own patch this term.
The Yellow Submarine have picked up in front of their own fans of late, and they held Madrid to a 4-4 draw in this fixture last year.
Villarreal can get something from their latest meeting with the Blancos.
Back a Villarreal win or a draw at 4/6 with BetMGM
0-0 at half-time
It is hard to see how Real Madrid will be completely unaffected by their epic struggle against Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone’s side are one of the most demanding opponents any European team can face due to the blend of intensity, work ethic and quality.
Madrid played against them at Atletico’s own stadium for 120 minutes just a few days ago, while Villarreal have had a full week off.
Madrid should be able to keep things tight defensively in the opening half, but it might take a while for their attack to get going – if it does at all.
A scoreless first half at the Estadio de la Ceramica is a distinct possibility.
Choose a goalless first half at 11/4 with Casumo
Kylian Mbappe to score
As mentioned above, Ancelotti will have to resist the urge to give some of his star men the evening off given how close Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are to Real Madrid in the La Liga table.
That means Mbappe will be in the starting XI alongside his attack-minded team-mates Rodrygo, Vinicius and Jude Bellingham.
Mbappe took a while to get going following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, with Ancelotti initially struggling to find the right collective balance.
But his record in 2024/25 speaks for itself: 29 goals in 43 matches in all competitions is a solid return given this is Mbappe’s debut season in Spain.
Eighteen of those strikes have come in La Liga and Mbappe can take another step closer to the 20-goal mark this weekend.
Tip Kylian Mbappe to score at 6/5 with bet365
How to watch Villarreal vs Real Madrid
- Location: Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain.
- Date and time: Saturday 15th March, 5.30pm.
- How to watch: Premier Sports 1, LALIGATV.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
- Premier League winner predictions
- Premier League top scorer odds
- Premier League relegation odds
- Champions League winner odds
- Championship promotion odds
About the author

Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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