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Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Prediction & Betting tips
The Ceramica is Saturday night the battle of the duel between Villarreal and Real Sociedad. Both teams go for European football, but only the home team knows how to meet the expectations.
Villarreal :
Villarreal sets the bar high this season. Qualifying for the Champions League is the goal of El Submarino Amarillo. The yellow shirts are currently at a meritorious fifth place, but they will have to climb at least one place in the rankings to realize their ambitions.
Villarreal has only one point less than number four Real Madrid, but a top four-ranking is going to be difficult anyway. Since the appointment of trainer Javi Calleja, the team plays great football, but the recent sale of goat thieves Cedric Bakambu is a hefty loss. The Spaniards presented Roger Martinez for a sloppy fifteen million euros as his replacement, but until now Calleja did not dare to throw him in front of the lions. The Colombian did not take action outside last week in the last fifteen minutes against Levante (2-1 victory). Last weekend saw the coach therefore forced, partly because of the absence of the suspended Carlos Bacca, wings pits Denis Cheryshev together with Enes Ünal in the center of the attack to post. This experiment worked out well, as Cheryshev was able to score even at Ünal’s request.
This weekend, however, Bacca returns to basics, so the question is who will accompany him in the attack. Ünal seems to have the best papers, although Cheryshev and Martinez are also options. Eventually I expect Martinez to win this fight, but Calleja seems to want to bring him slowly. Until that time, Bacca will have to lead the attack line. He can at least count on the support of Samu Castillejo from the midfield, who is in top form this season. With the Spanish midfielder within the lines, Villarreal scores on average almost twice as much (1.64 goals per ninety minutes) than without him (0.64 goals per ninety minutes). Speaking of key players.
Real Sociedad:
Real Sociedad sinks further and further away in the ranking. Last weekend the Basques lost again for the third time in a row, this time in their own home against Celta de Vigo: 1-2. Trainer Eusebio is under pressure, but according to chairman Jokin Aperribay he does not have to worry. According to the local media La Real would have already informed the available Javi Gracia, but Aperribay swears that nothing is true of that. The future will tell who speaks the truth.
Nevertheless, Eusebio will not sleep well last week. His team keeps on stumbling. In no less than eight of the last eleven league matches, including the game against Celta de Vigo, Real Sociedad took the lead. However, in no less than six of those games, the Basques still went down. Is that a mental problem, or a lack of quality? Probably a combination of both factors, because with no less than 36 counterstrokes in twenty rounds, the rearguard can use a quality injection. Despite the many setbacks, Eusebio still thinks he can turn the tide: “If we continue to work hard, we’ll get back on top of it. I’m convinced of that.’ However, as long as Real Sociedad can not find a way to close its defense, I can not think of any reason why it would suddenly go better.
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad head to head matches
25.08.17 LL Real Sociedad Villarreal 3 : 0
19.02.17 LL Real Sociedad Villarreal 0 : 1
11.01.17 CDR Villarreal Real Sociedad 1 : 1
04.01.17 CDR Real Sociedad Villarreal 3 : 1
18.09.16 LL Villarreal Real Sociedad 2 : 1