Villarreal v Real Madrid: Preview

Villarreal v Real Madrid: Preview

Cristiano Ronaldo will be gunning for his third consecutive hat-trick as Real Madrid look to continue their scoring splurge against Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday.

Madrid have bounced back from successive defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid in emphatic fashion, netting 13 goals in league victories over Deportivo and Elche and another five against Basle in the Champions League.

Eight of those were scored by Ronaldo, who sealed his 24th and 25th hat-tricks for Los Blancos and took his La Liga tally to nine in five matches this season.

``He is always in just the right position because he has a unique gift for movement,'' Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told the club's official website.

``The movements he makes are very quick and that's why they come as a surprise.

``He needed a period of time in which to work; he has done that with the discipline and professionalism that he has.

``He's in very good physical shape, he's motivated and he's scoring a lot of goals.''

Madrid's goalscoring spree has lifted them to fifth in the table and four points off the top but their revival will undergo a stiffer examination against Villarreal, who have enjoyed an encouraging start to the league campaign.

The Yellow Submarine's only defeat so far has come via a 1-0 loss to Barcelona and Marcelino's side will move above Madrid should they record their first win in nine meetings between the sides.

To do so, they will not only have to halt the unrelenting form of Ronaldo but also stop Gareth Bale, who has fond memories of this fixture having scored on his debut at El Madrigal last September before notching again in the reverse match later that season.

``It's the kind of game you are highly motivated for,'' Marcelino said after his team's 1-1 draw at Eibar on Wednesday.

``I hope they don't continue their current goalscoring form because if they do we will be in trouble.''

Villarreal are perhaps likely to find more vulnerability at the other end of the pitch, where Ancelotti is again debating who to pick in goal.

Iker Casillas won the faith of his coach at the start of the season, both in La Liga and the Champions League, but unconvincing displays and jeers from Madrid supporters have put the 33-year-old's place in doubt.

Costa Rican Keylor Navas was selected for Tuesday's 5-1 drubbing of Elche and while Casillas is expected to recalled, the Spaniard will be under pressure to perform.

Luka Modric is another set to return, despite Asier Illarramendi's impressive display last weekend, and Karim Benzema will also start after being rested.

``At the moment rotating is very important because we have all the players motivated and we have a lot of games,'' Ancelotti told fifa.com.

``We have another game on Saturday and I think it is normal to rotate to avoid problems.

``(On Tuesday) We rested Karim (Benzema) and (Luka) Modric and they will play on Saturday.''