The Round 17 La Liga meeting between Villarreal and Barcelona will take place on December 21 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Villarreal vs Barcelona: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Probable lineups for Villarreal vs. Barcelona
Villarreal (4-4-2): Luis Junior – Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Juan Foyth, Sergi Cardona – Téjéon Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Santi Comesaña, Alberto Moleiro – Georges Mikautadze, Ayoze Pérez.
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan García – Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martínez, Àlex Balde – Pedri, Eric García – Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal, Rafinha Díaz – Ferran Torres.
Villarreal
Villarreal's last scheduled match against Levante was postponed due to weather. Prior to that, the Yellow Submarine had strung together six consecutive La Liga wins. So far this season the club has suffered only two league defeats, both away. At home they have taken 22 points from a possible 24, behind only Atlético (25) and Barcelona (27). The team’s unbeaten home run in the league stretches to 14 matches (11 wins, 3 draws). Villarreal remain one of the most resilient sides in La Liga, having conceded just 13 goals in total. Marcelino’s side sit third in the table and still have two games in hand. A victory over Barcelona would see them become the side that have dropped the fewest points in La Liga this season.
- At least two goals have been scored in Villarreal's last eight La Liga matches in a row.
- The club has not conceded more than one goal in 5 of their last 6 matches in this competition.
- The Castellón side have scored in each of their last 13 home league games.
Probable Villarreal lineup (4-4-2)*
Luis Junior – Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Juan Foyth, Sergi Cardona – Téjéon Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Santi Comesaña, Alberto Moleiro – Georges Mikautadze, Ayoze Pérez.
Midfielder Pape Gueye has returned from suspension. Defenders Juan Foyth, Sergi Cardona, Santiago Mourino, Logan Costa and Willy Kambwala, midfielder Thomas Partey and forward Pau Cabanes are unavailable due to injury. The involvement of striker Gerard Moreno is doubtful.
Barcelona
Barcelona remain firmly at the top of the table. At the weekend they beat Osasuna 2-0, recording their seventh consecutive La Liga victory. Their last slip in the league came at the end of October against Real Madrid (1-2). Since then Hans Flick’s side have recovered well and now hold a four-point lead over their nearest rivals. Barcelona’s goalscoring run in La Liga extends to 37 matches; they have scored 49 goals this season, the highest tally in the division. The only slight concern is that their rare lapses this campaign have come away from home.
- Both teams have scored in 10 of Barcelona’s last 12 league games.
- Barcelona’s imperious run in this competition has reached 14 matches (12 wins, 2 defeats).
- The Catalans have scored at least two goals in seven consecutive La Liga matches.
Probable Barcelona lineup (4-2-3-1)*
Joan García – Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martínez, Àlex Balde – Pedri, Eric García – Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal, Rafinha Díaz – Ferran Torres.
Midfielders Dani Olmo and Gavi are unavailable through injury. Defender Ronald Araújo has been rested.
Referee
Javier Alberola Rojas (Spain)
Matches – 8 (La Liga, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 39;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.8;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 62%.
Match prediction for Villarreal vs. Barcelona
Villarreal have been remarkably consistent and are maintaining a level that keeps them in the title race. However, games against the very top sides have not gone their way this season. Historically they have struggled against Barcelona — in their last 32 La Liga meetings Villarreal have managed just three wins, all of them away. At home the club have failed to collect three points in 16 league matches (4 draws, 12 losses). Six of the last seven head-to-heads at Villarreal in this competition have produced over goals.
Barcelona’s matches generally produce high scores. Thirteen of their last 14 La Liga games have seen at least three goals, and nine of those 14 featured four or more. Flick’s side have won seven league games in a row and have claimed 14 victories from 17 matches this season, with only two defeats.
From the above, my prediction – Barcelona to win or draw & over 2.5 goals
* Each team's starting lineup reflects their last match in this competition.
