Prediction: Villarreal vs Arsenal

Prediction: Villarreal to win 2-0

Best Odds: 11/1

Bookmaker: Betfair

Villarreal and Arsenal will face each other in the Europa League this week. The first leg of the semi-final tie will take place at Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal on Thursday evening and promises to be a cracking game of football.

Villarreal

Not many will have expected Villarreal to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, but the Yellow Submarine have defied the odds to come thus far in the European competition. On their way to the last four, Unai Emery’s side have got the better of Dinamo Zagreb among other teams.

Villarreal will head into the match against Arsenal on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at home. The result means that the Yellow Submarine are now seventh in the La Liga table with 49 points from 33 matches. The game against Arsenal will see Emery face the club who sacked him last season.

Team News:

Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer are likely to lead the line for Villarreal on Thursday evening.

Arsenal

Arsenal’s chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League table this season seem over, and the Europa League is now the Gunners’ realistic route of getting into the Champions League in 2021-22. Mikel Arteta’s side are 10th in the Premier League table at the moment with 46 points from 33 games.

The Gunners will head into the match against Villarreal in Spain on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Everton at the Emirates Stadium in North London in the Premier League. It followed a 1-1 draw with Fulham at home in the London derby.

Team News:

Strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette did not play against Everton last week and could miss out against Villarreal. Left-back Kieran Tierney is out.

Key Factors to Consider

• Arsenal have scored 44 goals and have conceded 37 goals in the Premier League.
• Villarreal have scored 50 goals and have conceded 38 goals in La Liga.
• Unai Emery was sacked by Arsenal and replaced by Mikel Arteta.
• Unai Emery won the Europa League thrice with Sevilla.
• Arsenal reached the Europa League final in 2019 under Unai Emery.

Conclusion

With Arsenal struggling in front of goal at the moment, Villarreal will fancy their chances of winning. If the Yellow Submarine do not get caught on the break, then there is a very good chance that they will keep a clean sheet.

Prediction: Villarreal to win 2-0

Best Odds: 11/1

Bookmaker: Betfair