Real Madrid aim to respond against Villarreal as Yan Diomande starts

Real Madrid host Villarreal in the eighth round of La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, with Yan Diomande named in the home side’s starting line-up. The match will be covered live with commentary on Afrik-Foot from 21:00 GMT+2.

Diomande returns to the Real Madrid XI after featuring in consecutive matches for Cote d’Ivoire during the international break. He has been selected ahead of Brahim Diaz, who starts on the substitutes’ bench.

There will be no Moroccan meeting from the opening whistle, despite Ilias Akhomach being included in Villarreal’s starting line-up. Nor will there be an all-Ivorian contest, with Nicolas Pepe unavailable after undergoing a planned eye operation. Senegal international Pape Gueye, meanwhile, will start for Villarreal.

Real Madrid under pressure to react

Real Madrid return to league action with the need to regain momentum before the Clasico. They suffered a second defeat in seven matches last time out, losing 2-1 to Atletico, after previously being beaten 1-0 by Real Betis.

The Merengue side have collected 15 points from five victories and sit fourth, six points behind FC Barcelona. Wins over Rayo Vallecano, by 4-1, and Elche, by 3-2, came before the defeat in the Madrid derby.

Their home record remains perfect, however. Real Madrid have won all four of their matches at the Santiago Bernabeu this season, scoring 14 goals and conceding three. Jose Mourinho will be looking for a response from his players after an inconsistent opening to the campaign.

Villarreal travel to the capital in better recent form. The Yellow Submarine are ninth on eight points after seven matches and have won their past two league games, beating Levante 3-1 before recording the same score at Malaga.

Those victories ended a run that had included defeats by Real Betis, 2-1, and Deportivo La Coruna, 3-2. Villarreal had also lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Gueye is the club’s leading scorer in La Liga with three goals. The trip to Madrid will provide a significant test against a side that has been particularly effective at home.

Real Madrid dominate recent meetings

The recent head-to-head record favours Real Madrid, who have won their past four La Liga matches against Villarreal.

Those victories include a 2-0 success at the Ceramica in January 2026, a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu in October 2025, a 2-1 away victory in March 2025 and a 2-0 home win in October 2024.

Villarreal have not taken a league point against Real Madrid since a high-scoring 4-4 draw in May 2024. They did, however, win 3-2 at the Bernabeu in April 2023, showing they can still unsettle the capital club.