Villarreal vs Athletic Club: Match Preview – Which Team Can Secure Champions League Football?

While the battle at the top of the table remains tight knit, so indeed does the league table right below them as fourth place Athletic Bilbao face off against sixth place Villarreal.

La Liga Form and Results

Villarreal

Having led Villarreal to Champions league football in 2016, Marcelino Garcia Toral has his eyes set on returning them for the first time since the 2021/2022 season.

Villarreal began their season brilliantly, going their first five games unbeaten and only managing two defeats across their first ten matches which was against Barcelona and then Real Madrid.

Villarreal are 3rd in LaLiga.

Only 4 points behind first place Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/WYavlN8GTK

— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) September 30, 2024

Their recent results have been less than desirable with only two wins from their last five. While they were not the dominant team, Villarreal were strong where it mattered and secured a 2-1 victory over Getafe in their last game.

Athletic Club

Similar to their opponents, Athletic Club began their campaign in good style but suffered defeats to the title contenders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

One thing they have had to focus on that Villarreal have not is European football. Finishing in fifth last season, Bilbao qualified for the Europa League and have displayed dominance in the competition so far.

Nico Williams' double that sent Athletic Club into the quarter-finals ⚽️⚽️@Athletic_en | #UEL pic.twitter.com/0axIwC527S

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 14, 2025

With only one defeat in the league stage and a second-place finish, they secured passage straight into the knockout stage where they faced off and defeat Roma in fashion, securing a 3-1 win in the second leg to forgive their 1-0 defeat in the first.

Returning to the league, Athletic Club have managed a win and a draw from their last two. Ernesto Valverde was seemingly unimpressed with his squad after a 0-0 draw in their last game. He admitted it was a “very difficult game” and that his side “lacked fluidity” as he looked forward to prepping his side for this game.

What Do The Stats Say?

Marcelino continues to iterate to his side that “you cannot win games without scoring goals” as his side currently rank third overall for most goals scored in the league. Averaging 1.82 goals per game, Villarreal have struck fear into opposing defences all season long

However, with 39 goals conceded, they are the second highest conceding team inside the top half of the table. Their record at home while positive is still less than desirable, accumulating less than half of their total points and home with a record of 5-5-3.

In complete contrast, Athletico Club boast a strong defensive record as they are currently one of the best defensive teams in the league, joint by Atletico Madrid with only 24 goals conceded from 29 matches. With a goal against figure of 0.83 per game, Valverde chooses to employ the Sir Alex rule of “defence wins you titles”.

One stat that does not favour them is their ability to win away from home, so far winning 43% of their away matches comparing to only one loss from 15 games in front of their home fans.

Predicted Lineups and Players To Watch

Villarreal Predicted Lineup (4-4-2): Junior; Cardona, Kambwala, Foyth, Navarro; Baena, Comesana, Parejo, Pino; Moreno, Perez

23-year-old Alex Baena has been a delight so far under Marcelino so far this season. The Spanish midfielder has homed in on his playmaking prowess, accumulating 80 key passes this season and totalling seven assists so far in La Liga.

Finding himself on the end of those passes is former Premier League striker Ayoze Perez. Joining from Real Betis in August 2024, the Spanish striker leads his teammates with 12 goals so far this season from 21 appearances.

Athletic Club Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Simon; Lekue, Alvarez, Nunez, Gorosabel; Prados, Vespa; N. Williams, Gomez, I. Williams; Guruzeta

Missing the start of the season due to an undiscovered wrist injury that was played through during the Euro’s, Unai Simon has been welcomed back with open arms. Facing 36 shots from 12 games played in the league, Simon has only conceded nine goals and has kept four clean sheets.

On the opposite end of the field putting the ball into the opponent's net has been attacking midfielder Oihan Sancet. The 24-year-old has scored a huge 13 goals from 21 games but has been glued to the bench for their last two games, could we see him feature as a substitute in this one.

Where To Watch

This game between Villarreal and Athletic Club kicks off at 8pm and will be available to stream on La Liga TV UK

What Do Our Experts Say?

Our experts rank the two sides are evenly matched in terms of their quality. Villarreal have the home advantage and have been a prolific side all season long but Athletic Club are a more reserved team and invite pressure due to their defensive quality and take advantage on the counter.

This is why our experts back Draw + Both Teams To Score

Villarreal vs Athletic Club Prediction

While Villarreal ave two games in hand on fifth place Betis and a game in hand on their opponents for this game, they will want to ensure they get the result now and defeating Athletic Club would further inspire their Champions League chances.

Defeating Villarreal once already this season, Athletic Club will have confidence going into this match, but will they be able to defend a side who have dominated defences so far.

My prediction is a 1-1 Draw