Villarreal provide first test for Madrid

The spotlight will be on Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini as he returns to old club Villarreal for the first time on Wednesday as leaders Real face their first serious test of the new season.

Chile coach Pellegrini spent five seasons at Villarreal guiding the tiny club to the 2006 Champions League semi-final but now all he is focused on is keeping Real at the summit.

Real have a perfect nine points sitting above Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao on goal difference after a 5-0 rout of promoted Xerez but the result could not disguise a patchy performance.

There were jeers from the home Madrid crowd with Fernando Gago the main target but Pellegrini backed the Argentine to bounce back.

"Fans see, feel and express with applause or whistles. It was Fernando Gago's turn, but he shouldn't be affected because he is good enough to change things around," said Pellegrini.

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has been the real plus-point for Real so far with four goals in three league games to top the scoring charts.

While Real are winning and still getting whistled at, Pellegrini's successor at Villarreal Ernesto Valverde has genuine problems as he searches for a maiden win in charge.

Villarreal languish fourth from bottom and still have captain Marcos Senna on the sidelines.