Villarreal host Sevilla in the final round in a fixture that won't change a thing for either side. But even with nothing at stake, fans can always expect fireworks when these teams meet.
Villarreal secured Champions League football for the first time since 2021/22, when the Yellow Submarine reached as far as the semi-finals. And it all became possible because of the five wins in a row in the last five games. This phenomenal streak reached its peak last week when Villarreal came from behind and beat Barcelona 3-2 away from home.
On the other end, Sevilla will complete yet another disastrous season and escape relegation just barely. Los Nervionenses are 16th in La Liga and just four points above the drop zone. But unless the team wants to fight another relegation battle next season, they need a complete rebuild during the summer transfer window.
How the bookies view it: A new yellow triumph
Bookmakers evaluated the recent form of the two teams and reached the conclusion that Villarreal deserve to be a massive betting favourite. The hosts are currently available at 1/2, while Sevilla have been given 5/1. Alternatively, the draw is sitting at 4/1.
Recent head to head: Villarreal back-to-back
The Villarreal-Sevilla rivalry has always been one of the most attractive in Spain, not including the big derbies which attract the most attention. The difference now is that Villarreal are where they belong – in Europe – and Sevilla are struggling to survive. But when it comes to the H2Hs, both sides have won three of the last 10 H2Hs each. However, it should also be noted that Los Nervionenses have won just one of the last six meetings, while Villarreal won the last two.
Players to watch: Give Baena some time
As Villarreal's top goalscorer, Ayoze Perez, has been ruled out of the season finale, we have to look elsewhere for our top pick. And who better than Alex Baena, who's been active on all fronts this season. While he is the team's best provider with nine assists, he also scored six league goals. And he is also the second most booked player in the team. However, we would suggest waiting for the live markets instead of picking him pre-match. After all, this fixture has no real purpose, so it's better to monitor his performance before betting.
Probable line-ups
Villarreal: Junior, Navarro, Costa, Foyth, Cardona, Pepe, Parejo, Comesana, Buchanan, Baena, Barry
Sevilla: Nyland, Juanlu, Carmona, Salas, Marcao, Lukebakio, Agoume, Gudelj, Sow, Suso, Garcia
Anything else catch the eye?
The future is definitely not looking too bright for Sevilla, who've gotten even worse since Joaquin Caparros arrived. Few teams have scored less and conceded more than them, and Villarreal are exactly the type of team to take advantage of their weaknesses.
The hosts have scored the third most goals in the league this season (67) and their matches average 3.13 goals. Unfortunately for the visitors, we expect the Yellow Submarine to extend their winning streak against Sevilla and end the season on a high at El Madrigal.
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