After securing their place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, Real Madrid will bring their focus back to the La Liga title race with a crucial match as the Los Blancos travel to Villarreal on Saturday, March 15.
In the reverse leg at Santiago Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti’s men defeated Villarreal 2-0 courtesy of goals from Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior as Dani Carvajal was taken off the pitch with a knee injury and hasn’t been seen on the field since that day.
Know more about the odds, moneyline, picks, and predictions for the crucial La Liga match between Villarreal and Real Madrid here.
Here is when and where to watch the clash between Villarreal and Real Madrid.
Date: 03/15
Time: 1:30 pm ET
Location: El Madrigal, Villarreal
Where to watch: The match can be watched on ESPN+ in the USA
Both teams are chasing their respective goals as the hosts are vying for a return to UCL while Real Madrid qualified for the quarter-final of the ongoing UCL campaign along with their ongoing challenge for retaining the La Liga trophy.
With 44 points from 26 matches, Villarreal has bounced back in fashion after a dismal 2023-24 La Liga season where they finished 8th and missed out on qualifying for any of the three European club competitions.
The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League semi-finalists are chasing qualification to Europe’s premier competition but currently sit five points behind Athletic Bilbao with a game in hand. A win against Los Blancos at home would certainly boost the chances of Marcelino’s men qualifying for the Champions League.
On Wednesday evening, Ancelotti’s men secured their passageway to the Champions League quarter-final where they will face Arsenal as Los Blancos defeated cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties after Vinicius Junior missed a penalty in regulation time.
In La Liga, Real Madrid are on par with Barcelona’s points tally but the Catalans have a game in hand which gives them complete control of the title race but the reigning champions would be giving their best and hoping that Hansi Flick’s men slip up in the lead up to the title run-in.
The Playoffs aim to facilitate the safest bets for the game. Have a look at the predictions for the game below.
Total goals Over 3.5 @ +116 (MGM Bet): Two of the three highest-scoring sides will go head to head on Saturday, which almost guarantees goals for the paying spectators. Given that this is the last fixture before the March international break, both sides will go out for three points to keep the momentum on their side for the title run-in.
Kylian Mbappe (To Score a Goal @ +114 as per MGM Bet): The second-highest goalscorer in the 2024-25 La Liga season, Kylian Mbappe is a forward with explosive pace and needle-like precision who can trouble the Villarreal defense which could struggle to deal with the speedy trio of Rodrygo, Vinicius, and Mbappe.
Los Blancos have momentum on their side and they would like to leave their worrying La Liga form behind them as they aim to stretch Barcelona till the end in pursuit of the La Liga title while the hosts would be equally confident of bagging the points in front of their supporters.
Our Final Prediction: A 3-1 win for Real Madrid is the most likely outcome from the battle of two of the top sides in Spain.
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