La Liga | Gameweek 17

Dec 15, 2024 at 5.30pm UK

Estadio de la Ceramica

Villarrealvs.Betis

Match preview

Villarreal go into Sunday's clash on the back of back-to-back defeats, having lost 1-0 to fourth-tier Pontevedra in the second round of the Copa del Rey on 4 December, before losing 2-0 to Athletic in La Liga last weekend.

Marcelino's side sit fifth in the table, six points adrift of fourth-placed Athletic, but they have two games in hand on the Lions and it has been a strong start to the campaign for the Yellow Submarine.

Villarreal have been a handful in the Spanish top flight this season, scoring 27 goals, the fourth-best attacking record, but conceding 25, the fourth-worst defensive record.

El Submarino Amarillo finished a disappointing eighth in La Liga last season, so they are not playing in Europe this term, which should give them an advantage in the second half of the campaign.

Villarreal lost 2-1 to Real Betis in the meeting between the two sides last season, but they won 3-2 in the reverse fixture in Seville, so the hosts will be looking to make it two wins in a row against the Green and Whites this weekend.

Both Real Betis and Villarreal have taken two wins from their last five encounters, with the other drawn, and with not too much difference between the two sides, this weekend's game is expected to be close.

Manuel Pellegrini's side go into the game on a three-match unbeaten run, having beaten Sant Andreu 3-1 in the Copa del Rey on 4 December and drawing 2-2 with Barcelona in the league last weekend.

Real Betis trailed 2-1 to Barcelona in the closing stages, but Aitor Ruibal set up Assane Diao for a late equaliser to give the Sevilla side a point and take their tally for the season to 21.

The Green and Whites are 11th in the standings, but only three points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad, so a lot could change in the standings in a short space of time.

Real Betis, meanwhile, go into the game on the back of a European win, a 1-0 victory over Petrocub on Thursday that left them 17th in the Europa Conference League standings, three points off the automatic qualification spots.

Recent Performance

Villarreal La Liga form:DWWDDL

Villarreal form (all competitions):WWDDLL

Real Betis La Liga form:WDDLLD

Real Betis form (all competitions):LLLWDW

Team News

Villarreal will be without Diego Conde and Ilias Akhomach through injury on Sunday, while Santi Comesana is suspended for his second yellow card in the two-goal defeat to Athletic.

Ayoze Perez, who scored 10 goals in 12 appearances in the 2024-25 season, has struggled with injuries this term, but the Spaniard is fit for this game and will start alongside Thierno Barry in the final third of the field.

Alex Baena has been another of the team's standout performers this season and the attacker, who is believed to be on Barcelona's radar, is set to start again on the left flank for the Yellow Submarine.

For Real Betis, Johnny Cardoso, Nobel Mendy, Marc Roca and William Carvalho are all on the sidelines through injury, while Mateo Flores, Romain Perraud, Pablo Fornals and Hector Bellerin are all fitness doubts.

Coach Pellegrini will make changes to the side that started against Petrocub on Thursday, with Sergi Altimira, Abde Ezzalzouli, Vitor Roque and Marc Bartra among those who could return.

Diao played the full 90 minutes last time out after coming off the bench to score against Barcelona, but the striker is expected to be among the substitutes at the kick-off on Sunday evening.

Possible starting lineup

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Luiz Junior; Femenia, Albiol, Costa, Bernat; Pino, Suarez, Parejo, Baena; Perez, Barry

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Perraud; Flores, Altimira; Avila, Lo Celso, Ezzalzouli; Roque