Real Madrid Set to Have Three Key Players Available vs Villarreal

With this drawn out international break nearing its conclusion, attention will soon turn to Real Madrid's La Liga clash at home to Villarreal this Saturday. 

This long break may have made some forget that the situation already looks concerning in the league, with the team now six points league leaders FC Barcelona, after the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby last time out. 

Not only are the team not top of the league, they are also not even second or third, indeed so, as they currently sit in fourth place, with Atletico and Real Betis also above the team in this moment in time. 

So, the visit of Villarreal already feels very important. More dropped points combined with a win for Barcelona will make La Liga look impossible despite it being such an early stage of the season. So, it is crucial to pick up maximum points on Saturday night. 

Well, the chances of doing so may have just increased with an update provided on Monday (the 5th of October) morning. Indeed so, as journalist Melchor Ruiz is reporting that Jose Mourinho is expecting to count on Ibrahima Konate, Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde for the game. 

All three players have been injury concerns in the past couple of weeks. We saw Konate pull out of France national team duty before a game was even played, whilst Mbappe injured himself scoring the only goal of the game against Arda Guler and Turkey in their first game of this break. 

Meanwhile, Valverde was on the end of a brutal challenge from Kang-in Lee during the Madrid derby, and whilst he managed to complete the full 90 minutes, it was clear that he would need some time for that challenge to heal, once the adrenaline of playing in the game was over. 

This break being longer than usual probably helps in that regard. It may have been touch and go for him had the game been played this past weekend, and the game would have almost certainly come too soon for Konate and Mbappe. So, advantage Mourinho and Real Madrid. 

Despite this news regarding Mbappe, some fans have suggested he should not be rushed back, and that Carlos Espi - who has already made two huge contributions off the bench this season - could and should get the nod to lead the line for this one. You get the idea that it will be the Frenchman, however. Let's see.