Real Valladolid vs Villarreal Match Preview & Prediction

Real Valladolid vs Villarreal predictions and match preview for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as the hosts make their top flight return.

Real Valladolid vs Villarreal Preview

Real Valladolid are back in the big time after just one season in the Segunda Division. Under the guidance of Pacheta, they have a tough test on the opening weekend as Villarreal visit the Jose Zorrilla.

Inevitably, Real Valladolid will start the new season as one of the favourites for the drop. Indeed many view them as the newly promoted team most likely to go down with Almeria’s financial resources and Girona’s status in the City Football Group giving the other new boys a potential edge. While they do have a very high profile owner in the shape of Brazilian legend Ronaldo, Real Valladolid haven’t got huge funds to play with but they have done some smart business it would seem.

Arriving on free transfers, Sergio Asenjo and Sergio Escudero bring an abundance of top flight experience. They’ve also managed to secure a permanent deal for 21 year old winger Gonzalo Plata who impressed on loan last season. Much though may hinge on whether Shon Weissman, their top scorer in the Segunda Division, can find the goal touch in the higher league. If he doesn’t, you wonder where the goals will come from and Real Valladolid’s opening weekend chances aren’t helped by an injury to Weissman which rules the Israeli striker out of this one.

Villarreal will come here looking to lay down a bit of a marker ahead of what they hope will be a much improved domestic campaign. The Conference League is their only European distraction this season and with Sevilla looking as though they will be weaker, there appears to be a good opportunity for Unai Emery’s side to really target the top four following two disappointing 7th place finishes.

They are missing Arnaut Danjuma on the opening weekend but key striker Gerard Moreno is fit and hopefully firing again after his 2021/22 season was impacted by several injuries. The Yellow Submarine haven’t done a great deal of business but they have held on to their key players and have made the notable addition of Jose Luis Morales from Levante. It’ll be interesting to see what he can produce in different colours and el comandante is in line for his debut here.

Team News

Real Valladolid

Villarreal

Possible Lineups

Real Valladolid: Asenjo – Escudero, El Yamiq, Joaquin, Perez – Aguado, Mesa, Monchu – Villa, Leon, Plata (4-3-3)

Villarreal: Rulli – Pedraza, Torres, Albiol, Foyth – Coquelin, Capoue, Parejo – Morales, Gerard Moreno, Pino (4-3-3)

Score Prediction: Real Valladolid 0-2 Villarreal

Villarreal are capable of much better than we’ve seen from them in LaLiga in the past two seasons and they will be hungry to start well here. Overall, Real Valladolid do look like a strong relegation candidate and the absence of Weissman won’t help them going forwards here. The visitors may just have too much quality and should make a winning start to the new campaign.

PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga predictions are not betting tips. No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on football during the 2022/23 season. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.