Villarreal-Valencia is a match from the 15th day of La Liga and is played on Saturday at 16:15: likely formations, predictions, TV and streaming
La Liga has started again with several interesting challenges – including the Barcelona derby – from a technical point of view, but not only, and round 15, the last in 2022, closes with the thrilling Comunitat Valenciana derby between Villarreal and Valencia, two teams on the upswing but who, if the league ended today, would find themselves out of Europe.
The Submarino Amarillo have 21 points and are ninth, the Bats, coached by Gennaro Gattuso, follow close behind: they are tenth and two points behind their cousins. The places that count are not far away. Excluding Real and Barça, most of the teams aspiring to qualify for the European cups are all within a few points. But it will be necessary to keep the rudder straight even in the second half of the season to reach the goal and avert the danger of an anonymous championship. The Italian coach seems to have overcome the complicated moment experienced between October and November. Before the break he obtained perhaps the most important victory (for now) of the season, overwhelming a direct competitor like Betis 3-0 at the Mestalla. He has the full support of the environment, especially after the nice gesture towards the club’s employees to whom he wanted to donate several thousand euros for Christmas.
The situation at Villarreal is slowly returning to normal, after the ‘earthquake’ two months ago generated by the sudden departure of coach Unai Emery, who moved to Aston Villa in the Premier League. In place of the protagonist of the historic Europa League triumph in the 2020-21 season, came Quique Setien, whose debut had not been the best. Villarreal had finished with a 1-0 win over Espanyol, but after a draw and two defeats. Then almost only victories between the two rounds of the King’s Cup – 9-0 at Santa Amalia and 1-2 at Guijuelo – and the luxury friendlies with Galatasaray, Aston Villa and Napoli. The victory against Luciano Spalletti’s men, who were beaten 2-3 at the ‘Maradona’, was significant.
Gattuso
The Prediction
This will be an entertaining derby, open to any kind of result, between two teams that need to recover points in order to return to fighting for prestigious objectives. Villarreal, who have also rediscovered Gerard Moreno, seem to be slightly ahead, but Gattuso’s Valencia promise a battle. A draw cannot be ruled out in a match with at least one goal on each side.
Villarreal-Valencia matchday squad
- VILLARREAL (4-3-3): Rulli; Mojica, Torres, Albiol, Femenía; Parejo, Trigueros, Capoue; Danjuma, Chukwueze, Gerard Moreno.
- VALENCIA (4-3-3): Mamardashvili; Gayà, Diakhaby, Paulista, Correia; Guillamón, Almeida, Musah; Lino, Castillejo, Cavani.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
