The Matchday 22 clash in La Liga between Villarreal and Valladolid will take place on February 1 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Villarreal vs. Valladolid: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Villarreal
The Valencians started the new year with an away defeat to Real Sociedad (0-1). However, they have since remained unbeaten: first thrashing Mallorca at home (4-0), and then drawing away to Atletico Madrid (1-1) in the last round. Despite this, it's worth noting that the team has only secured two wins in their last nine league matches (4 draws and 3 losses), which has left Marcelino Garcia's side six points adrift of the top four.
- At least three goals have been scored in 12 of Villarreal's last 14 home games in La Liga.
- Both teams scored in 10 of the last 12 home games for the Valencians in La Liga.
- The club has scored exactly one goal in the first half in 7 of their last 9 home league matches.
Valladolid
The team has lost their last two La Liga matches. First, Valladolid suffered a 1-2 defeat away to Espanyol, followed by a heavy 0-3 home loss to Real Madrid. Additionally, Diego Cocca's side has faced eight defeats in their last 11 league matches (2 wins and 1 draw), keeping them at the bottom of the table and increasing their gap from the 17th safety spot to six points.
Midfielder Mario Martin will miss the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Notably, young defender Abdulaye Juma Bah has been transferred to Manchester City (he will spend the second half of the season on loan at Lens).
- No more than three goals have been scored in Valladolid's last six La Liga matches.
- Valladolid is on a five-match losing streak away in La Liga.
- The club has scored only three first-half goals in their last 20 league matches.
Predicted lineups for Villarreal vs. Valladolid
Villarreal (4-4-2): Luis Junior – Sergi Cardona, Kiko Femenia, Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa – Yeremy Pino, Santi Comesaña, Alex Baena, Pape Gueye – Thierno Barry, Gerard Moreno.
Valladolid (4-3-3): Karl Hein – Javi Sanchez, Luis Perez, Lucas Rosa, David Torres – Ivan Sanchez, Mario Martin, Selim Amallah – Marcos Andre, Anuar Tuhami, Mamadou Sylla.
The starting lineup for each team is based on their last match in this tournament.
Referee: Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos (Spain)
Matches – 10 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 49;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.9;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 20%.
Villarreal vs. Valladolid: Match Prediction
The favorite for the upcoming match is clear, given the significant difference in the league standings. The hosts are expected to defeat the La Liga underdogs, especially since Valladolid struggles against top-tier opponents. In the current La Liga season, Valladolid has played three away matches against teams from the top half of the table and suffered three heavy defeats.
This season, Villarreal has played 10 matches against teams from the lower half of the table, securing 7 wins and 3 draws. At home, against these opponents, Villarreal has played four league matches, scoring three or more goals in three of them. Additionally, Valladolid's away performance is worth noting – in their last 14 La Liga matches, the club has suffered 12 defeats, conceding at least two goals in 12 of those games, and losing by a margin of two or more goals in half of these encounters.
My prediction – Villarreal with a handicap (-1.5)