Militão Returns Amid Real Madrid Defensive Crisis

Real Madrid host Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu before the international break, seeking to respond to a 5–2 derby defeat and a subsequent 5–0 Champions League win powered by Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick. Xabi Alonso has rotated his side and made further changes for Villarreal, with Federico Valverde returning and being used at right-back while Jude Bellingham starts on the bench. Éder Militão has recovered from an ankle problem, returned to training and is back in the squad and likely to reclaim a starting role. The squad remains hit by a defensive injury crisis that rules out Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy, forcing Alonso to consider unconventional options or wider roles for defenders. Villarreal sit third after three straight wins and could leapfrog Real in the table, though they have a poor head-to-head record against Madrid.