Barcelona, Spain (AP) – Real Madrid will have to bounce off thrashing in the Spanish capital Derby last weekend when they host Red Hot Villarreal in the LA La Liga on Saturday.
Xabi Alonso’s side was embarrassing Atletico Madrid lost 5-2It was the first time that Crosstown rivals scored five times in the Derby in 75 years.
That loss Barcelona leads. Madrid went back to second place, while Villarreal returned to third place by two points.
Key Match
For Atletico, in fact, Madrid’s entire first xi was disappointed. Jude Bellingham had his first start of the season after being sidelined with a summer shoulder surgery, but the rust was clear. Newcomers Dean Huisen and Alvaro Carreras, both defenders and regular midfielder Federico Valverde were also criticised for their performance.
Madrid returns home after a long trip to Kazakhstan mid-week Defeat Kairat Almaty 5-0Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick, bringing the season goal tally to 13.
Villarreal heads for the Santiago Bernabeu after a 2-2 fight back with Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Marcelino García Toral team has won three consecutive times at La Liga.
Tajon Buchanan led Villarreal with three goals, with two each in Pape Gueye, Nicolás Pépé and Georges Mikautadze.
Barcelona visits Sevilla on Sunday after losing their first game of the season 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain Wednesday at the Champions League.
Elche aims to continue his incredibly strong return to top flights with the Arabs on Sunday. Elche was undefeated after seven rounds and moved up to fourth.
Players to watch
Julian Alvarez has scored six goals in the last three games as fifth Atletico visited Celta Vigo, where he was won on Sunday.
Argentina hit his first hat-trick in Europe last week in a 3-2 victory at Rayo Vallecano. He scored two against Madrid, winning 5-1 at Entracht Frankfurt throughout the week.
From action
Madrid’s defense remains exhausted at right back with injuries to Dani Carvallar and Trent Alexander Arnold and central defender Antonio Rudiger. The éder Militão and Ferland Mendy are also suspicious.
Villarreal strikers Ayoz Perez and Gerald Moreno are suspicious, while defender Juan Foyce is injured.
Barcelona still loses Rafina, Joan Garcia and Fermin Lopez to injuries.
From the field
Under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid’s leading player Valverde in recent years has sparked his role under Alonso.
Spanish media reports say attacking midfielder Valverde refused to play makeshiftly in between at Kairat after Madrid lost Carvajal and Alexander Arnold. Instead, central defender Raul Asensio played on the right.
Valverde has stated in these reports on social media that he played a “bad game” that he never refused to play while he knew.
“No one can say I’m refusing to play,” Valverde said. “I have a good relationship with my coach and I feel comfortable enough to tell him that I like to play in the middle.
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