Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
After back-to-back defeats in La Liga, Celta Vigo have dropped out of the race for a Europa League qualification spot. Their upcoming clash against Villarreal, currently sitting fifth — a position that grants access to the Champions League qualifying rounds — shapes up to be a tough test. The visitors arrive in strong form and are unlikely to let points slip.
Celta Vigo
Over the last two league rounds, Celta Vigo have recorded 3.35 expected goals against — the fifth-worst statistic in the division — and conceded six goals, with only Real Valladolid performing worse defensively with seven goals allowed. On Saturday, Celta Vigo let a two-goal lead slip against Barcelona, conceding three times in 30 minutes following a hat-trick from Borja Iglesias. At home, they have netted just 25 goals in 16 matches — the joint-lowest total among the top seven sides, on par with Real Betis.
Villarreal
Villarreal, by contrast, have been strong away from home, collecting 30 points from 16 away fixtures — the second-highest tally in the league. A 2:2 draw against Real Sociedad extended their unbeaten run to four matches. Since the start of 2025, they have shown marked improvement in attack, producing 23.44 expected goals over 13 games — the fifth-best statistic in La Liga.
Celta Vigo vs Villarreal Prediction
Since April 2023, Celta Vigo have lost three of their last four meetings with Villarreal, including a 3:4 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Backing the visitors on the double chance market appears to be a logical approach.
