Villarreal v Barcelona Betting Preview – La Liga 10th December 7.45pm
This is a top six clash between these two and Barcelona will be keen to snap back to winning ways after having only drawn their last two league games. They hold a commanding lead at the top of La Liga though and are undefeated across the course of the season still. Villarreal were going well and challenging for a top five place before slipping back to two consecutive defeats and winning just one of their last five. So they have to step things up as well but this is a tough game for them, however, they have managed to pick up a point in each of their last two La Liga home fixtures against the Catalans.
Villarreal v Barcelona Betting Tips
This is an important game for Villarreal as a recent dip in form has seen them start to lose touch a little bit with the top five. The Yellow Submarines have gone W1 D2 L2 in their last five league games and go into this one having suffered back to back defeats against Sevilla and Leganes. Surprisingly they conceded exactly three goals in both of those defeats too, which is against the grain for them as they have been a very good defensive unit this season. The Yellow Submarines are W 4 D1 L1 on home soil this season in the Spanish top flight, and their recent loss against Sevilla snapped a three match winning streak that they were on at El Madrigal. Villarreal have averaged over two goals per game on home soil this season and have only conceded the four goals, three of those coming in that loss against Sevilla. That means that they have kept a clean sheet in 67% of their home league games this season. They have not been losing at half time in a home game this season and under 2.5 goals at BetVictor may be worth considering.
79% of their home goals have come in the second half of matches and 75% of their goals conceded on home soil this season have come in the second half of games. Top scorer for them this season in the league is Cedric Bakambu and he is a 7/4 anytime goalscorer option. Last season Villarreal held out for a 1-1 draw at home against Barcelona and that is back to back home draws that they have taken against the Catalans now. Villarreal are D3 L2 in their last five on home soil against Barcelona in the league and the two defeats in that sequence were both by a one goal margin only. So this does look as if it could be a tight fixture, but both teams to score at BetVictor is worth a look as that had happened in six of the last seven games between the two in all competitions. Is there a good point on offer for Villarreal in this one? The 1-1 scoreline may have appeal.
Barcelona are unbeaten still in their league campaign, but they have drawn their last two games now after a frustrating 2-2 home draw with Celta Vigo last time out. They have drawn four of their last seven away games in all competitions and aren’t quite as sharp or carrying as much swagger as they were at the start of the season. They have had a couple of stern tests on the road this season already and Barcelona took 1-1 draws at both Atletico Madrid and Valencia in their campaign so far. They were really unlucky not to win at Valencia recently though, to be fair. Barcelona have posted a W5 D2 this season from their seven away games and as usual Lionel Messi is the BetVictor first goalscorer favourite at 2/1 as he looks to add to his 13 goal haul for the season. Barca have actually been losing at half time in two of their seven away games this season, but remain unbeaten. They have averaged two goals per game exactly on their travels and have only conceded the three goals away from the Nou Camp.
Villarreal v Barcelona Betting Odds
Barcelona 4/7, Draw 10/3, Villarreal 17/4
Villarreal v Barcelona Predictions
Barcelona were unlucky not to win in a tough test out at second-placed Valencia recently and with Villarreal just out of form at the moment, the Catalans are probably good value to go and collect themselves a win by a one goal margin.
