Villarreal vs Lech Poznan prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-09-07 16:45.
Even Donald Trump would be proud of the defensive wall that Unai Emery is building at Villarreal as they go into this UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) group stage not only as one of the competition favourites, but also as the only top-flight club from any of Europe’s 15 highest ranked member associations to have not conceded a league goal in 2022/23. Couple that tour de force with four goals on the weekend against Elche, as well as six from their two-legged UECL play-off against Croatia’s Hajduk Split, and the 2021/22 Champions League (UCL) semi-finalists will be a tough assignment for visiting Lech Poznań as Emery looks for his fifth UEFA trophy.
Only Liverpool and Manchester United have taken victory from a trip to face Villarreal in the last two seasons of UEFA competition (W9, D2, L2 excluding a forfeit from Qarabağ), and the Yellow Submarine needed no time to settle into their temporary home of Estadi Ciutat de València with eight goals scored across their two competitive victories there.
With no progression beyond the group stage of any UEFA competition since the 2010/11 UEL, Lech are suffering a lengthy period without significant success on the continent. Head coach John van den Brom described their maiden UECL berth as “a big thing for me and for the club”, and he in particular will be relishing the opportunities provided by this infant third-tier competition, especially given the Lech boss has lost the majority of his UEFA group stage games as a manager so far (W5, D8, L16).
Van Den Brom spoke of the fitness advantage that his side will have going into this group stage after having to play a massive eight qualifiers to get to this point. However failing to win any of the four to be played on foreign soil highlights the immense challenge his side is likely to face in securing any away points from this part of the tournament, let alone against one of the outright favourites here.
Players to watch: Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno has scored in three competitive appearances this season, including both at home, while Mikael Ishak’s four goalscoring appearances in Lech’s UECL qualifiers included two team opening goals.
Hot stat: Villarreal’s last six wins in the group stage of any UEFA competition have been by a 2+ goal margin (excluding the Qarabağ forfeit).