Valladolid vs Villarreal prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-08-12 17:00.
Despite the absence of striker Shon Weissman, who propelled his team back into La Liga (LL) with 20 Segunda División goals last season, Real Valladolid manager Pacheta was optimistic ahead of his second year in charge of the club after conceding just two goals across seven pre-season friendlies. Pacheta will be desperate not to meet the same fate of his last sojourn in Spain’s top flight, when he was relegated as caretaker coach of Huesca in 2020/21.
The home side have never spent just a single season in Spain’s highest division, but are widely considered amongst the most likely clubs to drop down at the end of 2022/23 after a very quiet transfer window. As one of three clubs to win two-thirds of their home fixtures in the previous Segunda DivisiĂłn season (D4, L3), there’s no place they’d rather start their new campaign – even if they have failed to win their previous three home games against Villarreal (D2, L1).
Villarreal have also been quiet in the market, making only a handful of signings and in need of offloading a big name such as YĂ©remy Pino to free up cash for Unai Emery’s targets. Right-back Kiko FemenĂa and returning goalkeeper Pepe Reina joined an extensive list of former Premier League players to join the Yellow Submarine as they pursue their first top-four finish since 2015/16.
Already burdened with the challenge of extracting better results from a squad that has not improved on paper and struggled with one of the LL’s worst records as travelling favourites last season (W3, D2, L6), Emery will have to plan for the team’s 2022/23 debut without the injured Arnaut Danjuma, Villarreal’s leading goalscorer from their previous LL season, although Gerard Moreno looks set to play a part after recovering from illness.
Players to watch: Spanish veteran Sergio LeĂłn was Valladolid’s second-most prolific goal scorer last league season and will have extra responsibility to shoulder with Weissman out injured. Meanwhile, winger Alfonso Pedraza finished 2021/22 with goals in each of Villarreal’s last two LL away wins – but he has not been on the scoresheet in any of his last six H2H appearances.
Hot stat: The half-time result in six of Villarreal’s last seven LL matches was replicated at the final whistle.