Austria Vienna vs Villarreal prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-10-12 16:45.
Austria Viennaâs first Vienna Derby win since 2018/19, ending a run of seven consecutive draws in that matchup, should give them a significant morale boost ahead of a must-win UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) clash with Villarreal. Stuck at the bottom of Group E with the worst goal difference (-8) of any team at the halfway point of the group stage, the 1978 Cup Winnersâ Cup runners-up sadly still donât appear cut out for European competition.
Already 11 points off the top of Austriaâs Bundesliga table after 11 rounds, Die Veilchen are struggling for consistency and are yet to record consecutive wins from 18 matches across all competitions (W7, D4, L7), which could nullify the impact of what manager Manfred Schmid described as âa big dayâ for his side at the weekend. He also openly acknowledged the gulf in class between his side and Villarreal as they attempt to end 12 UEFA home matches without a win (D5, L7).
Villarrealâs 5-0 home win in the reverse leg helped them to become the UECLâs top scorers over the first three rounds (11 goals) as well as one of just three clubs to have won their first three group stage games of this edition. It has been a welcome distraction for continental mastermind Unai Emery, who has failed to win his last four La Liga matches (D2, L2), the most recent of which was a 1-0 loss at Sociedad.
The Spanish club are now undefeated from five clashes with Austrian opposition since the beginning of 2018/19 (W4, D1), further outlining the difference in stature that Schmid mentioned at the weekend. With the board reportedly drawing up a contract extension for Emery despite their poor LL start, earning an early Round of 16 berth would greatly assist him in managing the workload of a busy month.
Players to watch: After goals in two of his last three league outings, perhaps this could be the day for Viennaâs Dominik Fitz to open his European account for 2022/23. For the visitors, Ălex Baena is the only player to have scored in all three of Villarrealâs group stage wins this season – including first-half goals in two games.
Hot streak: Austria Viennaâs last five losses in all competitions have been by a 2+ goal margin.