Villarreal vs Real Madrid - Predictions, Stats & Odds
La Liga Statistics, AI predictions, (Expected) Lineups and Insights for Gameweek 21
Goals
Game Review
Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in their La Liga clash on Saturday, 24 January 2026. The win was largely expected given Real Madrid's strong form and squad depth, and it was Kylian Mbappé (GAP +7.6%) who made the difference with both goals in the second half. The match remained goalless in the first half, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. However, Real Madrid came out with renewed vigor after the break. Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 47th minute, showcasing his clinical finishing ability. He doubled the lead in the 90th minute, sealing the victory for the visitors. In terms of tactical setup, Real Madrid's manager made no changes to the starting lineup from their previous match, maintaining a consistent approach. Villarreal, on the other hand, also fielded the same starting eleven, indicating confidence in their squad despite the challenging opposition. Key performances included Thibaut Courtois (GAP +6.8%), who was instrumental in keeping a clean sheet, and Jude Bellingham (GAP +5.7%), who controlled the midfield effectively. Federico Valverde (GAP +5.9%) also contributed significantly to Real Madrid's dominance in the center of the park. For Villarreal, Juan Marcos Foyth (GAP +5.3%) and Gerard Moreno (GAP +2.9%) were among the standout performers, but they were unable to break through Real Madrid's resolute defense. This result sees Real Madrid solidify their position at the top of the La Liga table, continuing their impressive run of form. Villarreal, meanwhile, will need to regroup and focus on their upcoming fixtures to climb the standings. Post-match reactions highlighted the effectiveness of Real Madrid's attacking prowess, with fans and pundits praising Mbappé's decisive contributions. The victory further cements Real Madrid's status as title contenders this season.
Lineups
Villarreal
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD |
Substitutes
| 24' | Rafa Marínfor Juan Marcos Foyth |
| 70' | Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyifor Gerard Moreno |
| 70' | Nicolas Pépéfor Tajon Buchanan |
| 77' | Ayoze Pérezfor Georges Mikautadze |
| 77' | Thomas Parteyfor Daniel Parejo |
Real Madrid
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD |
Substitutes
| 74' | Gonzalo Garcíafor Franco Mastantuono |
| 80' | Brahimfor Arda Güler |
League Table after the game
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Real Madrid | 21 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 45 | 17 | +28 | 51 | W W W W W |
| 4 | Villarreal | 20 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 37 | 21 | +16 | 41 | L W W L L |
Last Games
Head-to-Head
La Liga
Gameweek 21
What is GAP?
What is Plus Minus Goals (G±)?
Plus Minus Goals (G±) is the average goal difference per game while the player was on the pitch. A value above 0 indicates that the team rather wins, a value below 0 means his team concedes more goals than they score when the player is on the pitch. As an example, if the player's team is winning 3:1 the goal difference is +2, if the player's team is loosing 0:1, the goal difference is -1. It is a pure metric which is barely adjusted for circumstances to purely show the goal difference.
What is GAP?
GAP (Game Advantage Percentage) shows the percentage gap between a player and the average league player. It answers the question: How much does a player improve or worsen a team's performance? It is based on high level game data with a focus on the impact on the goal difference (G±) from the last 50 games of a player. Besides that, GAP goes further and considers game context by involving data from the player and all other players who are at the same time on the pitch, no matter if teammates or opponents. Football GAP - the individual metric for team players.