Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Villarreal open their new La Liga campaign at home to top-flight newcomers Real Oviedo, who, with Santi Cazorla in their ranks, will try to challenge a European competition regular.
Villarreal
Last season, Villarreal entertained with free-scoring football (71 goals) but were plagued by defensive issues (51 conceded). Over the summer, Marcelino García strengthened the midfield and defence with the arrivals of Thomas Partey and Rafa Marín, expected to add stability. Attacking losses in the form of Álex Baena, Ilias Akhomach and Arnaut Danjuma could reduce cutting edge, but against a newly promoted side, Villarreal still have plenty of firepower. Ayoze Pérez, who scored 19 goals last term, remains a key threat.
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo arrive from the Segunda with a reputation as one of the most defensive-minded teams. Under Veljko Paunović, they conceded on average just one goal per game, relying on a compact back line and cautious counter-attacks. In pre-season, the team played a series of friendlies, with the under 2.5 goals market landing in five of six matches, and they failed to score in three of them. Even in a warm-up game against Villarreal, the result was a goalless stalemate.
Villarreal vs Real Oviedo Prediction
Given the hosts’ quality and the visitors’ cautious approach, this is unlikely to be a high-scoring affair. Villarreal should control the game and create chances, but Real Oviedo’s compact defence could keep the score within a low-goal range.
