Taking that pain away against Sevilla appears a realistic possibility, given Villarreal are unbeaten in the last four home H2Hs and have started this LaLiga season strongly.
Villarreal
It may not have been convincing, but it was a job done for Villarreal in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday, edging out Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-1 to keep up their 100 per cent UECL group stage winning record. That European victory was the perfect way to bounce back from their first LaLiga defeat of the season against Real Betis last weekend (1-0), a result which, even after that win in midweek, Villarreal boss Unai Emery admits “still hurts”. Taking that pain away against Sevilla appears a realistic possibility, given Villarreal are unbeaten in the last four home H2Hs and have started this LaLiga season strongly.
However, there is a twist, with Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica undergoing a renovation, the ‘hosts’ now find themselves playing at Levante’s Ciutat de Valencia, yet Emery’s side haven’t been deterred, winning all three games there this season and scoring four goals in each.
Sevilla
Sevilla were in midweek European action themselves, making the long trip to Denmark to face Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League and coming away with a respectable 0-0 draw. Like Sevilla’s UCL form, their LaLiga start leaves much to be desired, but despite that, club president Pepe Castro insists Julen Lopetegui’s job is “safe”. The dreaded vote of confidence so often leads to a sacking further down the line, but a 3-2 victory over Espanyol last weekend may just have bought Lopetegui some time after Sevilla fans chanted for his resignation in the LaLiga game prior; a 3-0 defeat against Barcelona. Securing back-to-back LaLiga victories for only the second time this year would undoubtedly aid Lopetegui’s bid to win the fans over, or failing that, he could get around the travelling Sevilla faithful with some free beer as they received in Copenhagen on Wednesday!
Villarreal’s Dani Parejo is yet to get off the mark for the season, but only against Celta Vigo (eight) has he scored more often in La Liga than against Sevilla (five). Keep an eye on youth sensation Jose Angel Carmona, who proved the match winner against Espanyol with two first-half strikes. Five of Sevilla’s six LaLiga goals this season have come in the first half.