laliga

Villarreal vs Real Madrid LIVE: Lineups, kickoff time and where to watch the 2025-26 LaLiga Matchday 21

Villarreal face Real Madrid on Matchday 21 of LaLiga in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter. Follow along for live action and minute-by-minute updates from this clash!

Updated on
January 24, 2026 02:37PM EDT

**© Getty Images**Georges Mikautadze of Villarreal and Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid.

Villarreal host Real Madrid at the Estadio de la Cerámica for Matchday 21 of the LaLiga campaign. Los Blancos enter the fixture seeking a victory to reclaim the top spot in the standings, while the third-placed Yellow Submarine look to avoid losing ground to the league leaders.

[Watch Villarreal vs Real Madrid online in the US on Fubo]

Real Madrid arrive in excellent form following a dominant performance at the Santiago Bernabeu in the UEFA Champions League, where they dismantled Monaco 6-1. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side displayed clinical efficiency in front of its home fans, with Kylian Mbappe netting a brace to lead the charge.

Conversely, Villarreal are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 midweek loss to Ajax at home and will be eager to restore their image in front of their supporters.

02:35PM

Both teams doing warm up activities

Players for both sides have taken the field for warmups!

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02:20PM

Real Madrid dealing with several absences

Alvaro Arbeloa will be unable to count on Aurelien Tchouameni due to suspension, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, and Eder Militao are out due to injury.

However, the manager has welcomed back Rodrygo, who was sidelined with an injury, and Brahim Diaz, who returns after competing with Morocco in the AFCON.

02:10PM

Villarreal lineup confirmed!

This will be Villarreal's starting XI for today: Luiz Júnior; Pau Navarro, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga, Alvaro Pedraza; Tajon Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Pape Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard Moreno, Georges Mikautadze.

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02:00PM

Real Madrid lineup confirmed!

This will be Real Madrid starting lineup for today: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras; Arda Guler, Eduardo Camavinga; Jude Bellingham, Franco Mastantuono, Vinicius Jr.; Kylian Mbappe.

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01:40PM

Today's referees

Cesar Soto Grado has been appointed to officiate the clash between Villarreal and Real Madrid. He will be joined on the field by Carlos Alvarez and Ruben Becerril, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.

Full officiating team:

Referee: Cesar Soto Grado (SPA)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Alvarez (SPA)
Assistant Referee 2: Ruben Becerril (SPA)
Fourth official: Manuel Pozueta (SPA)
VAR: Mario Melero (SPA)

01:20PM

Kickoff time and where to watch

Villarreal vs Real Madrid will get underway at the Estadio de la Ceramica at 3:00 PM (ET).

Fubo will be the primary option to watch Villarreal vs Real Madrid in the USA. Other options are: ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and DirecTV Stream.

01:00PM

Villarreal and Real Madrid clash in the Matchday 21 from 2025-26 LaLiga

Welcome to our live blog of LaLiga! Villarreal face Real Madrid today on Matchday 21, with both teams looking to secure three vital points to stay at the top of the standings!

Stay with us for key information and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!

Gianni Taina

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he now covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA.

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Villarreal vs Real Madrid LIVE: Lineups, kickoff time and where to watch the 2025-26 LaLiga Matchday 21

Villarreal face Real Madrid on Matchday 21 of LaLiga in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter. Follow along for live action and minute-by-minute updates from this clash!

Both teams doing warm up activities

Real Madrid dealing with several absences

Villarreal lineup confirmed!

Real Madrid lineup confirmed!

Today's referees

Kickoff time and where to watch

Villarreal and Real Madrid clash in the Matchday 21 from 2025-26 LaLiga

Where to watch Villarreal vs Real Madrid live in the USA: La Liga 2025/2026

Why is Paul Pogba not playing today for Monaco vs Real Madrid?

Real Madrid crush Monaco 6-1 on Matchday 7 of 2025-26 UEFA Champions League: Highlights and goals

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