Villarreal vs Bayern Munich – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | UCL 2021-22

Unai Emery-Villarreal

Villareal will welcome Bayern Munich to Spain on Wednesday in the first leg of the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League.

Venue: Estadio de la Ceramica (Villarreal)

Key Statistics

Villarreal are unbeaten in their last nine home games in all competitions (W6, D3).

They have kept five clean sheets in their last nine home games in all competitions.

The hosts have failed to score in three of their last five games (W2, L3). 

Bayern Munich are unbeaten in their last eight competitive games (W5, D3).

The visitors are unbeaten in the UCL this season (W7, D1).

They have kept just one clean sheet in their last six away games. 

Head to head

Bayern Munich have won the two head-to-head meetings between both sides. 

Latest performances in all competitions

Villarreal: L-L-W-W-L

Bayern Munich: W-W-D-W-D

Villareal 

Villareal return to intercontinental action in the UEFA Champions League as they take on German heavyweights Bayern Munich in the first leg of their semifinal games.

The Yellow Submarines claimed an impressive 0-3 away victory over Juventus in the second leg of their quarterfinals game, to set up this showdown with Julian Nanglesmann’s side. 

But after their win over Max Allegri’s side, Unai Emery’s side have suffered back to back defeats in La Liga and come into this game off the back of a disappointing 2-0 loss to relegation bound Levante over the weekend.

The current Europa League holders took their automatic qualification slot with aplomb, riding their luck all the way but now face a daunting task against a German team who have scored 17 goals in their last five matches, seven of them coming in their last appearance in the UEFA Champions League match against RB Salzburg.

Villareal currently sit 17 points clear of the UEFA Champions League places in La Liga and are at risk of not making it for next season’s edition.

Unai Emery will be hoping that his boys can come up with another big win right there at home against Bayern Munich to set themselves up well in anticipation of the return leg in Germany.

Alberto Moreno remains the only injury concern for Wednesday’s game. Now back at full fitness, Gerard Moreno will be expected to lead the lines for his team. 

PossibleVillarreal starting line-up

Sergio Asenjo; Serge Aurier, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Alfonso Pedraza; Manu Trigueros, Moi Gomez, Dani Parejo; Boulaye Dia, Arnaut Danjuma, Gerard Moreno.

Injured: Alberto Moreno 

Doubtful: Samuel Chukwueze

Suspended: None 

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich come into this game off the back of a 4-1 win over Freiburg in Bundesliga Round 28, in a match that featured a bizarre substitution that saw Bayern play with 12 men in the closing stages.

Julian Nangelsmann’s team have only tasted defeat once since the turn of the year and sit nine points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga. 

They come into this encounter with an almost perfect record in the UEFA Champions League having not lost a single game since the group stages. 

This will be the first meeting between both teams in eleven years. The last time both teams met came back in 2011 in the UEFA Champions League, where Bayern Munich claimed a home and away victory over the Spanish club with a 5-1 aggregate win.

Although Die Roten are easily the favourites in this encounter, Villareal’s win over Juventus will serve as a deterrent for any form of complacency for Julian Nangelsman and his team as they chase Champions League glory.

Leon Goretzka returned to full fitness and celebrated it with a goal in the match against Freiburg. His return has been a huge boost for the Bavaria side but Alphonso Davies misses out due to a bout of Myocarditis. Eric Choupo-Moting is also set to miss out after a recent COVID test, while Corentin Toliso was forced off late against Freiburg after replacing Goretzka at the hour mark.

Possible Bayern Munich starting line-up

Manuel Neuer, Josip Stanisic, Tanguy Nianzou, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernandez, Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski.

Injured: Eric Choupo-Moting, Alphonso Davies

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

Prediction

Villarreal 1-2 Bayern Munich .