Granada vs Villarreal match preview and predictions for Saturday’s LaLiga match. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as the Yellow Submarine travel to Los Carmenes.
| Date | Saturday 3rd April 2021 |
| Kick-Off | 14:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Los Carmenes |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Granada vs Villarreal Preview
Saturday’s action in LaLiga kicks off at Los Carmenes where Granada are playing host to Villarreal. It’s the battle of Spain’s two remaining Europa League participants with both sides in Quarter Final action this coming Thursday and it’s possible both coaches may rest one or two players, particularly those who were more heavily involved with their countries during the international break.
Granada are looking forward to welcoming Manchester United but they’ll also know this is an important game if they are to stay in the hunt for Europa League qualification this term. They are currently in 8th place, 7 points behind their opponents in 7th. Defeat would all but end their hopes of qualifying for Europe again.
That would be a stunning feat given their many cup commitments this term. Their recent results do suggest that all the matches are catching up with them a bit. It’s 4 defeats from their last 6 in LaLiga although they have managed to win their last 2 at Los Carmenes, seeing off Real Sociedad and Elche. They boast a 57% home win ratio in the league this season overall.
Villarreal meanwhile have won their last two games in LaLiga to end what was turning into a deeply concerning run of league results. Victories over Eibar and Cadiz have got them back on track for European qualification. A win here would effectively make it a race between Real Sociedad, Betis and Villarreal for the Europa League and Conference League positions, although it’s possible all three teams could qualify for Europe in the event that Barcelona win the 2021 Copa del Rey.
The Yellow Submarine have only lost once all season away to a team currently ranked outside of the top four. That was their recent 2-1 derby defeat at Valencia. However it’s also true that they haven’t won an away league game against a team currently ranked in the top half and they’ve only managed to score 3 goals in 6 road games against sides above halfway.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 3 Villarreal Wins, 3 Draws.
- The sides drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture in January.
- Villarreal are unbeaten in 9 games against Granada overall.
- They’ve taken 7 points from their last 3 league trips to Los Carmenes.
Team News
Key men Luis Milla and Luis Suarez remain out for Granada. Carlos Neva is also a doubt and may not be risked.
Juan Foyth is banned for the visitors who are also likely to be missing Francis Coquelin again although the midfielder is nearing fitness.
Predicted Granada Starting Lineup:
Silva – Quini, Sanchez, Duarte, Diaz – Quina, Gonalons, Herrera – Kenedy, Soldado, Puertas (4-3-3)
Predicted Villarreal Starting Lineup:
Asenjo – Pedraza, Torres, Albiol, Mario – Parejo, Capoue, Trigueros – Gomez, Bacca, Gerard (4-3-3)
Granada vs Villarreal Predictions
LaLiga Expert Predicts: Granada 1-1 Villarreal (follow us on Tipstrr to view our betting tips)
This is likely to be a competitive game between two clubs that will have one eye on European matches this coming week. Villarreal appear to have stopped the rot in LaLiga, but Los Carmenes is a tough place to go even without fans, and a draw looks the most likely outcome – perhaps not a disaster for either side in the circumstances.
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