The Matchday 30 La Liga clash between Villarreal and Athletic will take place on April 6 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Villarreal vs. Athletic: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Villarreal
The Valencians had a rough start to the first spring month, losing two consecutive La Liga matches. First, they were defeated away by Alaves (0-1), and then they fell short at home against Real Madrid (1-2). It was only at the end of March that the team secured a victory, beating Getafe away with a score of 2-1. The team currently sits in fifth place in the standings, but they are six points behind the Champions League zone (with a game in hand).
- No more than three goals have been scored in Villarreal's last six La Liga matches.
- Both teams have scored in 6 of the club's last 8 league games.
- The Valencians have not lost in 7 of their last 9 La Liga matches (5 wins and 2 draws).
Predicted lineup for Villarreal (4-4-2)
Luis Junior – Sergi Cardona, Pau Navarro, Willy Kambwala, Juan Foyth – Santi Comesaña, Dani Parejo, Alex Baena, Tajon Buchanan – Ayoze Perez, Thierno Barry.
Athletic
March was a low-scoring month for the Basques. The team suffered its fourth loss in the current La Liga season, losing away to Atletico Madrid (0-1). They then drew at home with Mallorca (1-1) and Osasuna (0-0), and secured a victory away against Sevilla (1-0). The club has been consistently in fourth place in the standings for an extended period and maintains a good chance of catching up with Atletico, who are four points ahead. Notably, only Madrid concedes fewer goals than Athletic in this season's championship (one goal less).
- In 17 of the Basques' last 19 La Liga games, no more than three goals have been scored.
- Athletic has not conceded more than one goal in their last seven league matches.
- In 9 of the club's last 12 away La Liga matches, the first half ended in a draw.
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-3-3)
Unai Simon – Andoni Gorosabel, Lekue, Yeray Alvarez, Unai Nunez – Unai Gomez, Benat Prados, Mikel Vesga – Inaki Williams, Gorka Guruzeta, Alex Berenguer.
Referee
Mario Melero Lopez (Spain)
Matches – 14 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 55;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.9;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 50%.
Villarreal vs. Athletic: Match Prediction
These rivals, along with Betis, are likely to compete for the last fourth spot in the Champions League. Currently, Athletic leads, six points ahead of both competitors, but the Valencians still have a game in hand. Therefore, if Villarreal wins, they will be level on points lost with the Basques. The club from Bilbao understands the value of not dropping crucial points and will strive to keep their opponents at bay.
Ernesto Valverde's side excels in defense. The team concedes few goals, which is why they are among the top four clubs in La Liga. Even away, Athletic has not conceded more than one goal in 9 of their last 10 La Liga matches. I am confident that the visitors will play very cautiously in defense this time, aware of Villarreal's forwards' strengths. Additionally, in their last five league matches, the Valencians have only scored more than one goal once. Moreover, no more than two goals have been scored in 9 of their last 12 head-to-head La Liga encounters.
My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
