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  • Villarreal CF vs Lyon Predictions: Defensive Weakness to Plague Hosts

Villarreal CF vs Lyon Predictions: Defensive Weakness to Plague Hosts

18:00 Thursday 22 February 2018
Simon Harrison
EVENT ENDED!
  • The hosts have lost just one of their last five games at La Ceramica - Match Result: Draw — 12/5 Sportingbet
  • The Yellow Submarine haven’t kept a home clean sheet since November - Both Teams to Score (Yes) — 8/15 Betfred

Match Preview

Things aren’t looking good for Javi Calleja’s side ahead of our Villarreal CF vs Lyon preview and soccer odds, with a 3-1 aggregate deficit not leaving much room for optimism on the east coast of Spain.

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Lyon have a comfortable cushion to sit on, but this tie is anything but decided. After Pablo Fornals grabbed an away goal for Villarreal, they still have a chance to turn things around, but it looks very likely that the away side will get on the scoresheet on Thursday.

Our Villarreal CF vs Lyon predictions back the home side to put up a very good battle midweek, which makes it hard to back an outright defeat on the night for the Yellow Submarine in our Europa League tips, but the French club should eventually push into the next round.

The main weakness for the home side is their central defenders, with the first leg showing just what the pace and trickery of the likes of Memphis Depay, Nabil Fekir and Mariano Diaz can do to a lacklustre central-defensive pairing.

Villarreal CF vs Lyon Prediction and Betting Advice

Villarreal come into this game having only lost at home to Deportivo Alaves in 2018, with Calleja’s men having found their feet once again after a blip at the tail end of last year. Defensively, they have struggled, but goals haven’t been too hard to come by.

Sportingbet offer the best value on this contest ending as a draw, with the Yellow Submarine only really struggling against sides that set up deep and ask for them to come and try and break them down. Lyon should be much more open than that, with Villarreal easily able to trade blows and do their own damage on the night.

Lyon have won just one of their last four Europa League away games, with the likes of Ajax, Apollon and Atalanta all able to get results against them in 2017. After putting themselves in the driving seat after the first leg, a draw would suit the Ligue 1 outfit just fine.

Our Villarreal CF vs Lyon bets back both teams to hit the back of the net on Thursday evening, with both sides far stronger in attack than they are in defence. Both goalkeepers were worked hard in the first leg, with the Yellow Submarine perhaps a little unlucky to find themselves two goals down heading into the second.

Betfred offer the best value on both teams scoring, which looks incredibly likely given Villarreal’s defensive record at home in all competitions. A cup game against lower league opposition was the last time that Calleja’s side managed to keep a clean sheet at La Ceramica, with Lyon’s talented attacking options sure to cause the likes of Alvaro Gonzalez and Victor Ruiz lots of problems once again.

Our Villarreal CF vs Lyon betting tips suggest that this should be another thrilling encounter between these two sides, with the Yellow Submarine set to put up a good fight to try and get into the next round. Sadly, given how strong their opposition look in the attack, however, it will be a tough night.

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