The Matchday 37 clash in La Liga between Barcelona and Villarreal will take place on May 18 at the Olympic Stadium named after Lluis Companys. Barcelona vs. Villarreal: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Barcelona
Barcelona's current unbeaten run in La Liga has reached 17 matches, with 15 wins and 2 draws. In the previous round, they defeated Espanyol 2-0 away, making them unreachable for Real Madrid with two rounds to go. As a result, the club became the champions of Spain and secured a domestic double for the ninth time in their history, having already won the Copa del Rey under Hans Flick. Notably, Barcelona has a good chance to score over 100 goals this La Liga season, needing just three more goals to reach this mark.
- Barcelona's winning streak in the league stands at six matches.
- The club has scored at least two goals in 9 of their last 12 La Liga games.
- The team has won the second half in 10 of their last 12 La Liga encounters.
Predicted lineup for Barcelona (4-3-3)
Wojciech Szczesny – Gerard Martin, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia – Dani Olmo, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong – Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha Dias.
Due to injuries, midfielders Dani Rodriguez, Ronald Araujo, and Marc Bernal, as well as defender Jules Kounde and forward Ferran Torres, will miss the game.
Villarreal
Villarreal approaches this match with a four-game winning streak in the league, marking their longest winning run in La Liga since March of last year. This surge has allowed Marcelino Garcia's side to not only retain fifth place in the table but also move five points clear of sixth-placed Betis. Additionally, the club has kept clean sheets in their last two La Liga matches: a 1-0 away win over Girona and a 3-0 home victory against Leganes.
- Villarreal has lost only once in their last nine La Liga matches (6 wins and 2 draws).
- At least three goals have been scored in 7 of Villarreal's last 10 league games.
- Their uncompromising away streak in La Liga stands at seven matches (5 wins and 2 losses).
Predicted lineup for Villarreal (4-4-2)
Luis Junior – Alfonso Pedraza, Pau Navarro, Logan Costa, Juan Foyth – Dani Parejo, Yeremy Pino, Pape Gueye, Alex Baena – Ayoze Perez, Nicolas Pepe.
Referee
Jose Luis Munuera Montero (Spain)
Matches – 18 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 87;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.8;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 33%.
Barcelona vs. Villarreal: Match Prediction
Barcelona has secured a treble in terms of trophies won this season. It has been an excellent season, slightly marred by their exit in the Champions League semi-finals. Nevertheless, the team achieved its main goal by winning La Liga, finishing seven points ahead of Real Madrid with two rounds remaining, allowing them to enjoy their remaining matches. The team is also interested in scoring over 100 goals this season and helping Robert Lewandowski win the La Liga top scorer race; currently, the Polish striker trails Kylian Mbappe by three goals.
Villarreal is also eager to secure at least one point in the upcoming match to confirm their participation in the Champions League. The team is in excellent form, scoring more goals, and will aim to score against the newly crowned champions. Notably, Villarreal has scored 64 goals in La Liga this season, which is the third-highest tally after Real Madrid and Barcelona. Additionally, at least three goals have been scored in 10 of the last 12 head-to-head meetings in La Liga.
My prediction – Total over 3 goals
