Match Overview

The highly anticipated Matchday 7 fixture will see Villarreal host Athletic Bilbao on September 27 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. This preview offers a detailed prediction, betting odds, and key statistics for the Villarreal vs Athletic encounter.

Villarreal’s Current Form

Villarreal has been signaling their strong intentions for the current campaign right from the outset. Their impressive 4th win in the first six league fixtures came last Tuesday against Sevilla. This victory contributes to a formidable run of 10 wins in their last 12 outings. Amassing 13 points from 18, Marcelino García Toral’s squad currently occupies 3rd position, with only football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid ahead of them. 

Villarreal Key Statistics

• The Yellow Submarine boasts an impressive seven-match winning streak on home turf in the championship.
• This season, the team has only conceded five goals in total, a defensive record surpassed only by Real Madrid and Barcelona.
• Villarreal has found the back of the net in 11 of their last 12 fixtures.

Villarreal Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)

Arnau Tenas – Santiago Mouriño, Rafa Marín, Renato Veiga, Sergi Cardona – Pap Gueye, Santi Comesaña, Daniel Parejo – Alberto Moleiro, Tajon Buchanan, Tani Oluwaseyi. 

Villarreal Injury Report

A number of key players are sidelined for Villarreal due to various health issues. The unavailable list includes defenders Juan Foyth, Logan Costa, and Willy Kambwala, midfielder Santi Comesaña, and forwards Gerard Moreno, Ilias Akhomach, Ayoze Pérez, and Pau Cabanes.

Athletic Bilbao’s Form Analysis

Ernesto Valverde’s men are currently grappling with a dip in form following the recent international break. After an impressive start to the season with three consecutive wins, Athletic Bilbao’s momentum has waned, collecting just one point from their subsequent three fixtures. Their latest outing saw them draw with Girona, which brought an end to their nine-match run without a draw in (comprising 6 victories and 3 defeats). The Basque club presently occupies the 6th spot in the league standings. 

Athletic Bilbao Key Statistics

• Athletic has failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their last seven Spanish championship matches.
• The club has maintained an unbeaten record in 14 of their previous 18 encounters (9 wins, 5 draws).
• In eight of their last nine away matches in , at least one side has failed to score.

Athletic Bilbao Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Unai Simón – Andoni Gorosabel, Aymeric Laporte, Aitor Paredes, Adama Boiro – Mikel Vesga, Mikel Jauregizar – Oihan Sancet, Iñaki Williams, Nico Serrano – Gorka Guruzeta. 

Athletic Bilbao Injury and Suspension Report

Goalkeeper Alex Padilla and crucial defender Daniel Vivian have completed their suspensions. However, head coach Ernesto Valverde remains banned from the touchline. Defender Yeray Álvarez faces a suspension for a doping offense, and forward Nico Williams is currently sidelined with an injury.

Match Prediction: Villarreal vs Athletic Bilbao

Villarreal has consistently delivered strong performances in , characterized by an exciting and offensive style of play. Marcelino García Toral’s squad has netted a minimum of two goals in seven of their last nine league fixtures. Expanding on this, six of those nine matches have witnessed three or more goals in total, counting both teams’ efforts. Notably, Villarreal has also scored at least two goals in all of their last six home encounters in . 

Goals Expectation

While the pragmatic Athletic Bilbao isn’t renowned for its prolific attacking output, a closer look reveals that at least two goals were scored in five of their last seven league matches. Furthermore, a minimum of two goals has also been registered in eight of the last ten direct clashes between Athletic and Villarreal in . 

Final Betting Tip

Considering these factors, I anticipate an engaging contest where both teams contribute to a goal-rich affair, producing at least two goals collectively. Therefore, the prediction is “Total Goals Over 2.0” with attractive odds of 1.50  Author: Nikita Kudryavtsev *The listed lineups represent the starting XI from each team’s last fixture in this competition.