Sporting CP vs Villarreal Predictions and Betting Tips, 14 Feb 2019

The Match Is Over. Score: 0-1

Sporting v Villarreal Predictions for Thursday's Europa League Round of 32 first leg at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisabon. Villarreal travel to Portugal knowing they have not won any of their past 13 away games and enduring a lot of pressure in La Liga in avoiding relegation.

Match status: 2018-19 Europa League Round of 32
Kick-off: Thursday 14 Feb 2019, 08:00pm GMT
Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade (Lisabon)

Sporting v Villarreal Team News

Two losses from Sporting's last three games is as many what had been seen as in their previous 20 combined. And one of those defeats came at home to nullify the Portuguese club's nearly perfect record of W7, D1 during three months.

Statistically, in the last 7 matches, the Lions have both scored and conceded in each of them. Five of those saw them let in a single goal and the two losses coming from Benfica averaged 3 goals conceded.

Villarreal are largely focused on the domestic competitions, where they are winless in their last 12 matches including two cup games and are battling relegation which they can do without at the moment.

The predicament The Yellow Submarine currently find themselves in favours the home team, who are hoping to restore the form they had been enjoying before it was ruined in the Benfica matches.

However, Villarreal boss Javier Calleja has preferred to use a defensive style of football in their Europa League endeavours as they have kept a clean sheet in their last 4 matches and last 3 of those have ended with under 2.5 goals.

Teams' Potential Starting Line-ups:

Sporting (4-3-3): Salin; Acuna, Ilori, Coates, Gaspar; Fernandes, Gudelj, Luis; Cabral, Dost, Diaby.

Villarreal (3-5-2): Fernandez; Mori, Ruiz, Gonzalez; Pedraza, Cazorla, Iborra, Fornals, Gaspar; Bacca, Ekambi.