Real Madrid will look to jump into second place in the Spanish League when it takes on Villarreal at home on Saturday.

Los Blancos had a perfect chance to earn sole possession of second place but wound up blowing a 1-0 lead against Athletic Bilbao and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw. More importantly, the team lost superstar Cristiano Ronaldo; Ronaldo was given a red card for hitting an opposing player. He was then given a three-game ban for making gestures at the officials.

Ronaldo's absence means that Gareth Bale will need to pick up his game. The Welshman has struggled to remain healthy throughout the year despite putting up eight goals and seven assists thus far.

"There is no setback," Coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Bale's health, according to ESPN. "[Bale] is fine. On Saturday we cannot use Cristiano. With Gareth fresh it could be very good for us, so I preferred to give him a rest. For sure Bale will play on Saturday."

"He trained normally over the last two or three days," Luka Modric added. "The coach did not want him to force anything today because we have another important match on Saturday and Cristiano cannot play in it. It is important for him to rest because there is no rush."

Of course, Bale's arrival would mean the removal of another player. Jese would be an obvious candidate but his form has been superb and does not merit a spot on the bench. The same holds true for Angel Di Maria who practically took over the Copa del Rey semifinal between Real Madrid and Atletico on Wednesday.

Prediction: Madrid wins 5-0.

Start Time: The ball starts rolling at 2 p.m. EST.

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