Elche Vs Villarreal
Elche Vs Villarreal Sunday, 16 January 2022 – 12:00 (GMT)
Spanish La Liga
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: Boylesports
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 14 January 2022)
Preview: With the Spanish Super Cup scheduled to be held later in the day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sunday’s sole fixture from La Liga is at risk of falling under the radar. The previous two league meetings at Elche‘s Manuel Martinez Valero stadium both ended in 2-2 draws, so three points are far from guaranteed for Unai Emery’s Villarreal.
Spanish La Liga Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Elche – Can hosts make it back-to-back La Liga wins?
Buoyed by last week’s outcome away to Espanyol which saw them become the first visiting team to win at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona since September, Elche now have the opportunity to win successive La Liga matches for the first time all season. They were a little fortunate to do so, though, having lost the xG battle (ESP 1.35 – 0.78 ELC), but it was among a string of fine results lately for Los Franjiverdes.
Pere Milla’s brace inside the opening fifteen minutes sent Elche on their way to only their fourth league win of the campaign last time. They have now amassed eight points from the last six fixtures (W2 D2 L2), one fewer than they had managed across eleven prior outings in the competition. Meanwhile, they are typically resolute here at Manuel Martinez Valero, restricting six of nine visitors to Under 1.5 Goals.
Key Stat: Although only three teams have accrued fewer points from their La Liga home matches in 2021-22 than Elche (W2 D5 L2), it is important to note that Real Betis and Real Madrid – teams in third and first place respectively – are the only teams to have won away from home against them this season.
Villarreal – Imperious at home but susceptible on the road?
Head coach Unai Emery couldn’t hide his frustration as his Villarreal team were somehow held by Atletico Madrid last time out, a 2-2 draw the final outcome despite the hosts dominating proceedings at the Estadio de la Ceramic (VIL 2.47 – 0.64). Those goals, however, continued their rich vein of form in front of goal, with that now 17 scored across their past five league fixtures at a rate of more than three per game.
Last week’s stalemate was disappointing in another sense. It halted the Yellow Submarine’s four-match La Liga winning streak, having previously secured big-scoring victories over Alaves, Levante, Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano. The Real Sociedad win stood out, for it was their first of the season away from home (W1 D5 L3). The goals haven’t exactly flowed on their travels either, netting just 7 in 9 said fixtures.
Key Stat: Villarreal have scored multiple goals (2+) in each of their last five La Liga games but done so only twice across nine away league games so far this season. Only 17th-placed Getafe have scored fewer goals on the road than the seven of Villarreal.
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Elche Vs Villarreal Betting Advice
Villarreal simply cannot stop scoring right now. Their recent 2-2 draw at home to last season’s Spanish champions, Atletico Madrid, made it 17 in their last five league matches and took them to 33 for the season – a figure bettered only by leaders Real Madrid. There is a caveat, of course, which is that only seven of this tally has come away from home, where Emery’s men have toiled for much of the campaign.
Elche Vs Villarreal – Key Facts:
- In the reverse fixture, Villarreal eased to a 4-1 victory. However, the Yellow Submarine last won away to Elche in La Liga in November 2013, held on their last two visits (both 2-2 scorelines).
- Both sides enter into Sunday’s fixture in strong form. Elche have taken eight points from the last 15 available (W2 D2 L2) while Villarreal have won four of the last five (D1).
- Each of Villarreal’s past four La Liga matches saw Over 2.5 Goals. However, six of nine away league games of theirs this season went Under 2.5, as did five of Elche’s nine as hosts.
Although they would claim a 3-1 victory at Real Sociedad on their most recent away outing, that marked a first away win of 2021-22 for Unar Emery’s men. Elche, therefore, could represent an awkward opponent for such travel-shy visitors. Sunday’s hosts have restricted six of nine visitors to their Manuel Martinez Valero ground to Under 1.5 Goals, while Villarreal failed to score more than once in seven of nine La Liga away games this season. So this could be tight.
Best Betting Odds – Elche Vs Villarreal
Elche – 7/2 (WilliamHill)
Draw – 13/5 (Betfair)
Villarreal – 5/6 (Coral)
