Real Madrid host Villarreal: Mbappé back in training, Valverde a doubt

📰 After a derby defeat and the international break, Real Madrid restart their league campaign at home to Villarreal. 📌 Key points 🏟️ Madrid host Villarreal at the Bernabéu at 9pm local time on 10 October. 📉 Madrid are fourth on 15 points, six behind leaders Barcelona. ✅ Mbappé rejoined group training on 7 October after his knee injury. 🩹 Captain Valverde is still a doubt with an ankle problem. 🚑 Asencio, Rodrygo and Mendy will miss the game. 📝 What happened ✅ According to Marca, Mbappé trained individually early in the week before rejoining the group on 7 October. He hurt his left knee playing for France on 25 September, but tests showed it was less serious than first feared. Barring setbacks, he could start against Villarreal. 🩹 Valverde injured his ankle in the 2-1 derby defeat by Atlético before the break, after a challenge from Lee Kang-in. According to AS, he again worked alone on 7 October, and the club hope he can rejoin the group on 8 October. 🧱 The defence remains stretched. Asencio is recovering from surgery and Konaté is coming back from a knee strain. RotoWire expects José Mourinho could drop Aurélien Tchouaméni into centre-back alongside Antonio Rüdiger. 📊 By the numbers • Real Madrid: P7 W5 L2, 15 points (4th) • Villarreal: P7 W2 D2 L3, 8 points (9th) • Mbappé: 7 league goals (joint second in the scoring charts) • Valverde has started all eight of Madrid's matches this season 👀 What to watch ⚡ Mbappé's return — Madrid's attack changes completely with their seven-goal striker back. How Mourinho manages his minutes straight after injury is worth watching. 🧠 Valverde or not — the captain has started every game this season. Without him, the midfield has to be reshaped. 🧱 Stand-in centre-back — if Tchouaméni drops back, Madrid's midfield shield gets thinner, and Villarreal could exploit it. 🎯 Villarreal's weak spot — according to RotoWire, Villarreal have conceded in all seven of their league games. 🔭 Why it matters Six points behind Barcelona, Madrid cannot afford to slip further. After this game, El Clásico at Camp Nou awaits on 25 October. Kick-off is 9pm CEST on Saturday 10 October (4am KST on 11 October) at the Bernabéu.