Villarreal vs Girona Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Not only have Villarreal been much-improved in the last 12 months since Marcelino was appointed but the Yellow Submarine have also been very entertaining to watch as they take on the entertainers of La Liga’s last couple of seasons, Girona, at El Madrigal.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 1st December, 2024: UK – 1:00pm / US ET – 8:00am / US PT – 5:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Villarreal vs Girona may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
Villarreal Preview: Entertaining Yellow Submarine
Villarreal begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting tucked inside the top four and the UEFA Champions League spots as they head into their 14th match of the 2024/25 La Liga campaign. They are performing that well with an entertaining style of football that has seen their 13 games consist of a combined total of 46 goals.
The hosts returned from the November international break with a 2-2 draw against Osasuna at El Sadar in their most recent outing last weekend in a game in which they were 2-0 down and saw them score a second-half stoppage-time equaliser to mean they are now unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions.
Girona Preview: Girona’s issues
Michel said at the start of this season that Girona would find it difficult as they City Football Group owned Catalans for a second successive summer sold several key players with this summer’s key departures including Aleix Garcia, Savio and Artem Dovbyk after a third place finish in just their fifth season ever in the Spanish top-flight.
Girona have struggled to deal with UEFA Champions League commitments and they come into this one on the back of a 1-0 loss in Austria to Bundesliga champions Sturm Graz in midweek. They have won one and lost three in Europe with inconsistent form in the league, too, albeit they did hammer Espanyol by four goals to one in a regional derby last weekend.
Villarreal Team News: Injury crisis
The return of club captain Gerard Moreno, who scored that last gasp equaliser last weekend, is very welcome for Villarreal but there are several other injury absentees for the hosts.
Juan Foyth is a long-term issue for Villarreal with key issues across the attacking positions such as Ilias Akhomach, Nicolas Pepe and in-form Spain international Ayoze Perez.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Conde; Pau Navarro, Raul Albiol, Costa, Sergi Cardona; Yeremy Pino, Dani Parejo, Santi Comesana, Alex Baena; Barry, Gerard Moreno
Unavailable: Foyth (Injured), Alfonso Pedraza (Injured), Gueye (Injured), Ramon Terrats (Injured), Akhomach (Injured), Pepe (Injured), Ayoze Perez (Injured)
Questionable: Bailly (Injured)
Girona Team News: Shortened injury list
Girona have been dealing with a long injury list throughout this season but it is narrowed down to just three issues for this weekend’s trip down to Villarreal.
Venezuela international midfielder Yangel Herrera remains sidelined due to a foot injury with Portu also unavailable, whilst summer signing Gabriel Misehouy has a hamstring issue.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Paulo Gazzaniga; Arnau Martinez, David Lopez, Krejci, Blind; Oriol Romeu, Miguel Gutierrez; Yaser Asprilla, Van de Beek, Bryan Gil; Miovski
Unavailable: Yangel Herrera (Injured), Misehouy (Injured), Portu (Injured)
Questionable:
Villarreal vs Girona Prediction
In the 2022/23 campaign, Girona’s 38 games consisted of 113 goals. In the 2023/24 campaign, Girona’s 38 games consisted of 131 goals. They have been the entertainers and even this season, their 14 games have consisted of 38 goals and sitting seventh ahead of the match day is not a bad result whatsoever – in fact it is a shock given the injuries they have been dealt and the departures they endured. Villarreal have perhaps been fortunate at times this season but Marcelino is a good coach and they themselves have been a must watch for the neutral. It would be a surprise if this one wasn’t great for the neutral.
Villarreal vs Girona Tip: Both teams to score
