Villarreal vs Valladolid Prediction 1 February 2025

🔊 Will the "Pucela" continue to stay at the bottom of the league table? One of the highlights of Saturday's program in the Spanish La Liga is the clash between Villarreal and Valladolid. The teams have completely different goals and objectives for the season, yet the intrigue in this match remains. Can the league's worst defense hold off one of the best attacks - we will find out very soon. The bookmakers' preliminary predictions are as follows: victory for the "Yellow Submarine" - 1.23, victory for the "White and Violets" - 12.

📊 H2H

The head-to-head meeting of the teams at "José Zorrilla," which took place in the 11th round, ended with a victory for Villarreal with a minimal score difference - 2:1. It is worth noting that the "White and Violets" have only beaten the "Yellow Submarine" 3 times in their history at "La Cerámica" in the elite Spanish division.

🟡 VILLARREAL

Marcelino's team continues to be one of the most daring and intense teams in the Spanish championship. On average, the team from the namesake city scores 1.86 times per match (3rd result in the championship). This is largely due to the significant influence and assistance in attacking phases from the full-backs. The 4-1-4-1 formation, often observed during the "Yellow Submarine's" ball control, should not be underestimated. This tactical setup not only maintains balance in midfield but also provides a significant numerical advantage on the opponent's half. Thus, the key role in linking defense and attack is played by Senegalese midfielder Pape Gueye. On average, he manages 0.9 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, and completes 3.9 possession recoveries per game. Among the players forced to miss the upcoming match are Ilias Akhomach and Alfonso Pedraza.

🟣 VALLADOLID

Valladolid is justifiably one of the worst teams in the Spanish championship. During the season, the "White and Violets" already resorted to a change on the coaching bench - Argentine Diego Cocca replaced Paulo Pezzolano. This change has not yet brought significant results. The team from the namesake city remains the worst in the league for average goals scored (0.67) and conceded (2). Their performance in away matches is also dreadful - only 3 points earned after 10 games (19th result in La Liga). With Diego Cocca's arrival, Valladolid almost always employs a 4-3-3 formation. However, dynamically it closely resembles a classic 4-2-3-1, with Juric and Martin as the main pair of defensive midfielders. There is also a strong emphasis on interactions between wingers and full-backs. In recent rounds, it is easy to notice constant position changes and overlaps between Luis Perez and Anuar. Meanwhile, Raul Moro, positioned on the opposite flank, is almost relieved of defensive duties and regularly takes a higher position on the left wing. Unfortunately, Raul Moro (injury), Mario Martin (suspension), and Eray Cömert (injury) are unable to help their team in the upcoming La Liga round.

⚽️ GOALS PREDICTION

Villarreal is known for its "recklessness" in attacking phases of play and regularly puts significant pressure on opponents' defensive lines. Also, individual skill, which mostly relates to Alejandro Baena, can play its role at any moment. It is noteworthy that over the last 7 head-to-head matches, the "White and Violets" have inevitably allowed the "Yellow Submarine" to score. Our bet is - Villarreal's individual total over 2 goals.

🚩 CORNER PREDICTION

In recent head-to-head matches, one can notice some superiority of the "Yellow Submarine" in terms of average corner kicks: 5.4 against 4.6. In this La Liga season, the team from Villarreal also surpasses the "White and Violets" in this component: 4.9 against 3.4. Thus, it seems quite reasonable to consider this betting option - Villarreal to win corners with a handicap (-2.5).

📝 MATCH PREDICTION

Counting on reliable defensive actions from Villarreal even against the weakest team in the league is not expected. Sometimes overly bold football leads to unfortunate consequences for the "Yellow Submarine." It should be noted that Marcelino's team has only managed to keep a clean sheet once in their last 10 matches. A final victory for the hosts with a score of 3:1 aligns well with the current scenario. The key bet is - both teams to score (yes).