La Liga: Big Hopes For the New Year!

Villarreal vs Real Madrid

Two teams meet at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Friday desperate to get 2019 started on the right footing.

There is business to be done at either end of the table in the big La Liga clash between Villarreal and Real Madrid, as both teams will say goodbye to their 2018 league form without any regrets.

After qualifying for the Europa League last season, Villarreal have had a torrid time in the Spanish top-flight this 2018/19 campaign and are languishing in the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Los Blancos watched helplessly as Barcelona stormed to another title in 2018 and then started the current season in poor form.

Both sides have sacked their managers and are trying to sweep away the cobwebs with a new broom: Villarreal are looking for mid-table security while Real Madrid have far greater ambitions.

It all promises to be an exciting clash and you can get all the La Liga 2019 news about the Villarreal vs Real Madrid game right here at SBOBET.

Talking Points

Villarreal must replicate Cup form in the League

The Yellow Submarine are in relatively uncharted territory in the bottom three with plenty of work to be done, but life away from La Liga has provided a welcome distraction for Villarreal fans.

They are faring rather better in cup competitions, having finished top of Europa League Group G and have a winnable Round of 32 tie against Sporting to look forward to.

Villarreal also recently had a thumping 8-0 victory over Almeria in the fourth round of the Copa del Rey. However, it’s been a turbulent few months in Castellon, with head coach Javi Calleja falling on his sword early in December and getting replaced by former Villarreal B coach Luis Garcia.

It was tough on Calleja, who took over as coach in September 2017 and guided the Yellow Submarine to fifth. Villarreal are often touted as a successful and well-run small club, and Calleja certainly played his part last season. But it’s a results business and Garcia is now the man at the helm.

The former centre-back has made a decent start, inspiring his new team to a 2-0 Europa win over Spartak Moscow and a draw away to bottom club Huesca. The combative Mario Gaspar will be missing after receiving his marching orders in that game, picking up his sixth card of the campaign.

If Villarreal are to climb the table in good time, then the goals of talented strike partnership Carlos Bacca and Gerard Moreno will be pivotal. Both scored in that 2-2 draw and have four each for the campaign.

I expect both to reach double figures by the season end.

Stars unsettled at the Bernabeu

It’s been a difficult few months in Madrid too, the low point being an El Clasico humiliation which resulted in the departure of head coach Julen Lopetegui.

Los Blancos have recovered, to a degree, and are in fourth place, eight points behind Barca with a game in hand. But without Cristiano Ronaldo to work miracles, a La Liga triumph looks unlikely.

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid continue to grind out results and sit second in the table, so Real’s main objective is to be the best team in Madrid. They also want to make a strong defence of their European crown, but Los Blancos will have a tough examination in the Champions League Round of 16 when they face a resurgent Ajax.

Santiago Solari has been promoted from his role as Real Madrid B coach and is tasked with guiding his stars to more success in 2019. Nonetheless, he’s struggling to keep them all happy as the transfer rumour mill sets into motion again.

Midfield maestro Luka Modric has just won another honour, ‘Balkan Athlete of the Year’, but he has been linked with a move away from Madrid by newspapers across Europe.

Recently-awarded player Luka Modric hopes to lead Real Madrid to victory against Villarreal in upcoming La Liga battle — Luka Modric looks focused during the Club World Cup semi-final match between Real Madrid and Kashima Antlers last December

And Isco is said to be unsettled by the constant speculation that Chelsea’s Eden Hazard could be on his way to the Bernabeu.

Los Blancos are in reasonable form though, with five wins in six and have just won the Club World Cup for the third consecutive year having beaten Al Ain 4-1 in Abu Dhabi last weekend.

History

Los Blancos have had the better of the head-to-heads, winning 21 of the 36 meetings since 1998 while Villarreal have managed just four victories with 11 ending in a draw.

Villarreal collected four points from Real Madrid last season, drawing this fixture 2-2 and winning 0-1 at the Bernabeu. But their home record is uninspiring, with one win, three draws and four defeats. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are on a winning streak of three matches, catapulting them to a record of nine wins, two draws and five losses (four of which are away from home).

Top scorer Karim Benzema will look to add to his six goals on Friday.