Villarreal vs Ath Bilbao prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-05-12 16:30.
With just five La Liga (LL) games to go, and a sizable seven-point gap to the top four coming into the round, Villarreal’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League via the league for the first time since 2015/16 look all but dead in the water. That comes despite their current three-game unbeaten LL run (W2, D1) that has helped the Yellow Submarine forge a two-point cushion to the chasing pack that includes upcoming opponents Athletic Bilbao.
These next few weeks are going to be crucial to Villarreal’s European hopes, with three of their next four LL games coming against three of the four sides starting the gameweek directly below them in the table! They have tasted only two defeats across their seven games at home to other current top-ten sides this season (W4, D1), so confidence should be high that they can start this crucial run-in with a positive result.
That being said, the home side don’t have a great record against Athletic, failing to win any of the previous eight H2H meetings (D5, L3). Visiting manager Ernesto Valverde will hope that can give his side a mental boost as they’ve just started to falter at perhaps the worst possible time, failing to win any of their last three LL outings (D1, L2).
They conceded just one single goal in each of those matches, putting the spotlight on the attack for not delivering at the other end of the pitch. Star forward Iñaki Williams has shouldered some of the responsibility for recent displays and reiterated this week that he and his teammates are going to do “everything possible” to still secure European qualification.
Key battle: All-action Nicolas Jackson has been a driving force behind Villarreal’s improved form with five goals in his last six matches – although he’s also picked up four yellow cards and a red in that time, too! Trying to stop him will be Athletic goalkeeper Unai SimĂłn who hasn’t conceded more than a single goal in any of the last seven H2Hs.
Hot streak: Each of Villarreal’s last five competitive home games have produced at least one goal in or beyond the 70th minute.