Real Madrid Faces Turbulence Ahead of Crucial Villarreal Clash

Real Madrid will host Villarreal this Saturday, aiming to regain their footing in La Liga after suffering a tough defeat in the recent derby.

Xabi Alonso’s team saw their strong start to the season abruptly halted by a 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid, which has had lingering effects over the past week.

While Alonso acknowledged that his team deserved the defeat and sought to move forward, some players have continued to dwell on it.

Striker Kylian Mbappe emphasized that the team “cannot forget” what occurred and must continue to work hard to prevent similar outcomes, following their dominant win against Kazakh side Kairat in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Midfielder Fede Valverde mentioned a lack of “attitude” several times when discussing the derby loss and noted that players have had discussions among themselves and with the coaching staff about it.

Alonso considered simply attributing the defeat to the team’s attitude as “too simplistic” and subsequently did not include Valverde for the Kairat match.

The Uruguayan midfielder was suggested to cover the right-back position due to injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal, as he has done previously, but said he was “not born to play” in that role.

Instead, Alonso fielded Raul Asencio in that position, and Spanish media reported it was a consequence of Valverde expressing his reluctance to play there.

“I’m aware of my poor performances. I do not hide from them, and I confront them. I am truly saddened,” Valverde shared on social media on Wednesday.

“People may say many things about me, but refusing to play cannot be one of them.

I have given everything and more for this club, playing through fractures and injuries without ever complaining or requesting a break.”

How Alonso integrates England international Jude Bellingham into the team remains another question.

Bellingham was given his first start of the season against Atletico but struggled to have an impact.

He was also on the bench against Kairat, but unlike Valverde, he was brought on as a substitute.

Bellingham’s inclusion in the Atletico match forced Arda Guler to adapt to a right-side position, even though Guler has been impressive in a central role under Alonso.

Vinicius Junior also showed frustration after being substituted by Alonso in the Kairat match without scoring.

Real Madrid is currently trailing behind league leaders and champions Barcelona by one point and leads third-place Villarreal by two points.

The upcoming match against Villarreal will be another crucial test of Alonso’s team’s resilience in high-stakes games.

Defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup this summer and Atletico have raised concerns among Madrid fans about the team’s performance against elite opponents.

Last season under Carlo Ancelotti, they were eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals by Arsenal.

While Madrid had a good run in La Liga, it primarily came against lower-ranked teams, with the exception of Espanyol’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu.

One significant positive for Los Blancos has been Mbappe’s performance, scoring 13 goals across all competitions in just nine games.

Meanwhile, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will visit Sevilla on Sunday as they aim to maintain their lead at the top.

Player to Watch: Luis Milla

Getafe midfielder Milla has begun the season in excellent form, with a league-leading four assists. Although Getafe’s style might not appeal to everyone, they are positioned comfortably in mid-table and aim to climb higher when they face Osasuna on Friday.

Key Stats

1 – Only one league win at home for Sevilla in 2025

2 – Barcelona and newly-promoted Elche are the only unbeaten teams this season

200 – Antoine Griezmann reached a milestone with 200 goals for Atletico this week in the Champions League

Fixtures

Friday

Osasuna vs. Getafe

Saturday

Oviedo vs. Levante, Girona vs. Valencia, Athletic Club vs. Mallorca, Real Madrid vs. Villarreal

Sunday

Alaves vs. Elche, Sevilla vs. Barcelona, Espanyol vs. Real Betis, Real Sociedad vs. Rayo Vallecano, Celta Vigo vs. Atletico Madrid

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to the text.