French Ligue 1

There will also be updates from France and Le Classique, one of French football's big rivalries.

Paris St-Germain, champions for the last gazillion - sorry, four - years, need a win to stay right in the hunt for the title. They are six points behind Monaco and three off Nice.

Marseille are down in seventh.

Image source, EPA

So will it be goals galore? Unlikely against the meanest defence in La Liga. Villarreal have conceded only 15 goals in 23 games - five fewer than Real.

"It's an even more difficult game against a really good side who are well organised but it's good to play so soon after Wednesday," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.

"We have the opportunity to pick up points and that's what we're going to try and do."

Image source, AFP

Villarreal have won only one of the last 12 encounters against Real.

That was last season.

It was 1-1 at the Bernabeu earlier this season.

Villarreal stopped Real Madrid from achieving a record-breaking 17th consecutive La Liga victory 

Image source, .

So here's the updated La Liga table.

Barca are top, but have played two games more than Real Madrid.

Sevilla are third, on the same points as Real but also having played more two games than their rivals.

The BBC are back for Real Madrid.

Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo (we count the 'C' in Cristiano) play together for the first time since October last year.

Bale starts for the first time in 2017, having made been a sub in his last two appearances since returning from injury.

Centre-back Pepe replaces Raphael Varane, who has a thigh injury.

Real Madrid XI: Keylor Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Bale, Benzema, Cristiano 

Ex-Tottenham forward Roberto Soldado could make his first league appearance of the season for Villarreal.

The Spanish forward suffered a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season in August. He started for Villarreal in their Europa League win over Roma last week.

Villarreal XI:  Asenjo; Mario, Mussachio, Ruiz, Costa; Jonathan, Trigueros, Bruno, Castillejo; Bakambu, Adrian. 

Image source, EPA

Come on Gaz, let's have a smile.

Welsh wonder Gareth Bale returned to action for Real Madrid last weekend after recovering from an injury, and scored a wonderful solo goal as his side defeated Espanyol 2-0.

However, Zinedine Zidane's men tripped up at Valencia in midweek. Simone Zaza (yes, that Simone Zaza) scored to help his side to a 2-1 win.

Real face another stiff test today, at sixth-place Villarreal. Zidane's team are now second after Barcelona's 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid earlier.

Is Bale ready to start, after two appearances as a sub?

Team news coming up.