Our betting expert expects an open game to feature plenty of goals, with Raphinha firing Barcelona to victory.
Best bets for Villarreal vs Barcelona
- Over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.71 on BetWinner
- Raphinha to score anytime at odds of 2.30 on BetWinner
- Barcelona to win at odds of 1.81 on BetWinner
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction - Villarreal 2-3 Barcelona
- Goalscorers prediction - Villarreal: Ayoze Perez, Alberto Moleiro - Barcelona: Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski
Leaders Barcelona currently have an eight-point advantage over Villarreal, who sit in third place. However, the Yellow Submarine have played two fewer games, and a win would push them into the title race.
Marcelino’s side didn’t play last weekend because their derby at Levante was postponed due to bad weather. However, they suffered a midweek setback, as they exited the Copa del Rey after a 2-1 defeat to second-tier Racing Santander.
In contrast, Barcelona defeated the lower-league team Guadalajara 2-0 on Tuesday in the same competition. They have now won six consecutive games across all competitions and are the clear favorites to win the La Liga title.
Probable lineups for Villarreal vs Barcelona
Villarreal expected lineup: Junior, Pedraza, Veiga, Marin, Navarro, Moleiro, Comesana, Parejo, Buchanan, Perez, Oluwaseyi
Barcelona expected lineup: J. Garcia, Balde, Martin, Cubarsi, Kounde, Pedri, E. Garcia, Ferran, Raphinha, Yamal, Lewandowski
Goalfest at the Ceramica
This match, which was originally scheduled to be played in Miami, promises to be very entertaining. Both sides enter the game in excellent league form and are scoring frequently.
Villarreal’s average of 2.07 goals per game in La Liga is second only to Barcelona. The Catalans have registered an average of 2.88 goals per 90 minutes. Notably, 59% of Barca’s league matches this term have ended with four or more total goals.
Both teams should have all their attacking players available. Gerard Moreno is fit again for Villarreal and will compete for a starting spot with Ayoze Perez and Georges Mikautadze. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick can pick from Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, and Ferran Torres.
Those factors suggest this game will not disappoint. Even at short odds, backing over 3.5 goals seems like a good choice.
- Villarreal vs Barcelona Bet 1: Over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.71 on BetWinner
Raphinha to fire in new role
Flick has had to find new ways to include all his attacking stars in the same team. Last weekend, he used Raphinha in the number 10 role. The Brazilian thrived, taking seven shots and scoring both goals in the 2-0 win over Osasuna. This tactical experiment may well continue on Sunday as Raphina’s place in Barcelona’s best lineup seems secure since he is now fully fit.
Moreover, the ex-Leeds player also scored in Barca’s previous league game against Atletico Madrid. His six La Liga goals in a disjointed season have come at an impressive rate of one every 103 minutes.
Raphinha is given an implied probability of 38.2% of scoring anytime in this match. Given how dangerous he looked playing in a central position in the last game, these odds offer good value.
- Villarreal vs Barcelona Bet 2: Raphinha to score anytime at odds of 2.30 on BetWinner
Barca favoured to extend winning streak
It is difficult to analyze Villarreal’s season accurately. They’ve been excellent in La Liga, dropping just four points against teams ranked outside the current top four. However, they’ve consistently failed to perform against stronger opponents.
The Yellow Submarine have already suffered two-goal defeats against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the league. Additionally, they have the joint-worst Champions League record of just one point from six matches in that competition. This suggests they lack quality in key areas that better teams can exploit.
Barcelona head into this encounter having won eight in a row in domestic competitions. They’ve won all of those games by a margin of at least two goals. Given Villarreal’s struggles in the big matches, betting on the visitors to secure another victory offers good value.
- Villarreal vs Barcelona Bet 3: Barcelona to win at odds of 1.81 on BetWinner