Coach Fran Escriba said on www.villarrealcf.es: “The chance to win or draw at the Bernabeu depends on being fearless, and the statistics are there to be broken”.
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In turn, the Villarreal in the previous season were able to prove itself a good idea, working primarily reliable in defense. Such form leaves the club sixth in the league and turning to the likes of Nicola Sansone to help them push further up the table. Pre-season 2016-17 has been the most unmitigated, un-Villarreal disaster imaginable. The biggest win, meanwhile, was a 7-1 victory at home to Celta last season, while Los Blancos beat Barca 2-1 in the Clasico clash at Camp Nou (the fifth fixture in the streak).
Villarreal were subsequently knocked out of the Champions League in the playoff round by Monaco with new coach Fran Escriba at the helm, a tactician not as immediately identifiable with slick passing football as Marcelino.
This evening two of the five teams who are yet to taste defeat in the league lock horns at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Atlético (two wins and two draws), Sevilla (three wins and two draws) and Alavés (one win and three draws) making up the complement of unbeaten sides.
Real Madrid will welcome back two of their most important players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale this midweek against Villarreal.
“I’m happy, not only with James and Benzema but also the performance in general”. Nacho, replacing the injured Pepe, will pair up with Sergio Ramos in central defence, flanked by the full-backs Dani Carvajal and Marcelo.
At this stage of the season there are few certainties in La Liga.
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The off-colour Bale was then replaced by Lucas Vazquez, whilst Karim Benzema made way for Alvaro Morata in the search for a victor. For Zidane and Real, there is a record to be broken and a ideal run to maintain.
