LaLiga – Villarreal – Athletic Bilbao on Match-day 31
Next Saturday at 6:30pm GMT, on matchday 31 of the LaLiga, we will see Villarreal play Athletic Bilbao at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Athletic Bilbao currently sit in eighth place as they travel to seventh placed Villarreal.
This season’s LaLiga campaign, has so far seen Villarreal achieve 45 points
Unai Emery will have impressed upon his team the importance of getting a positive result out of this game, following two successive defeats. First it was Cádiz and then Levante, however this is something that their opponents will be aware of going into this fixture.
Also, Villarreal keep finding ways to win, having secured nine victories in their last 15 meetings is astonishing this season. With 45 points (12W, 9L and 9D), they are established in seventh position in the League having won 12 fixtures, drawn nine matches, and lost nine games.
When Villarreal host Athletic Bilbao, they will do so on the back of nine victories, four darts, and two defeats on their own ground.
Villarreal will have secured 48 points so far this season, should they secure a win.
Good atacking and defensive team
It’s an easy statement to make, but to win you simply have to score more goals than your opponent. Villarreal have been consistently applying this principle, whilst remaining defensively solid as a unit this season, with 29 goals in their previous fixtures. Villarreal have a good scoring record this season, with 48 netted so far (45 from open play and three penalties). This has been largely down to the key attacking players: Yeremi Pino (4), Arnaut Danjuma (3), and Dani Parejo (2).
Going into Saturday’s game, Unai Emery without three of his players, due to illness or injury.
Athletic Bilbao have 44 points to their name, going into this tie
With a win in their previous game, (2-1) against Elche, Athletic Bilbao will likely be in a positive frame of mind.
Also, Athletic Bilbao keep finding ways to win, having secured seven victories in their last 13 matches is astonishing this season. Now they have 11 matches won, 8 games lost and 11 duels drawn; that’s why they currently sit in eighth place, with a total of 44 points having won 11 games, drawn 11 meetings, and lost eight games.
Athletic Bilbao’s away record is remarkable and poses a significant threat to Villarreal. In the 15 games they’ve played on the road this season, they have so far won three matches, drawn eight meetings, and lost four fixtures.
Athletic Bilbao will have 47 points if they manage to secure a victory.
A solid defensive team
Athletic Bilbao have shown a solidity in defence, having so far only conceded 29 goals in their previous fixtures. The number of goals that a team scores can sometimes give a misleading impression of performance. Athletic Bilbao have found the net 35 times (34 from open play and one penalty), but their performance at times this season has been average. This is largely down to the efforts of their stand-out attackers – Alex Berenguer (2), Oihan Sancet (2), and Inaki Williams (2).
Marcelino will be forced to make changes to the plans for his squad, as injury or illness has depleted him of two of his Athletic Bilbao players.
Villarreal v Athletic Bilbao – Head-to-Head.
Regarding their historical duels Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao have faced each other 45 times in the past, with the balance of wins sitting in Villarreal’s favour (17 – 14). Further, Villarreal have won all ten of the previous 20 matches with Athletic Bilbao. October 2021 was the most recent time these two clashed in this competition and Athletic Bilbao took all three points winning 2-1.
Players to watch
For Villarreal, Yeremi Pino scoredfour goals in 30 League fixtures this campaign, while Alex Berenguer is a top performing player who has scoredtwo goals in 30 League games so far for Athletic Bilbao.
Other players of note for Villarreal are Arnaut Danjuma and Dani Parejo with three goals and two goals respectively and for Athletic Bilbao are Oihan Sancet and Inaki Williams with two goals and two goals respectively.
