Valencia vs Villarreal Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
We have a regional derby on the east coast of Spain this weekend as Valencia welcome a busy and frustrated Villarreal side to Mestalla on Saturday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / USA – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / USA – ESPN+
Valencia preview: Javier Aguirre’s Valencia
Eccentric former Mexico boss Javier Aguirre is in charge of a Valencia side that continue to struggle down at the bottom end of La Liga but they have been much-improved since the sacking of former West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan last month.
Los Che have begun the Javier Aguirre era with an entertaining 2-2 draw against Racing Santander at El Sardinero in Cantabria before then sharing a goalless draw with Athletic Club in their most recent outing last weekend.
Villarreal preview: Inconsistent Yellow Submarine
Villarreal come into this one on the back of going 2-0 up at Anfield in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool before then falling 4-2 down and battling back to succumb to a 4-3 defeat on Merseyside.
Following the appointment of former Rayo Vallecano boss Inigo Perez in the summer, The Yellow Submarine have endured a tough and inconsistent start to this season with teething issues apparent as they seek to attempt their style.
Valencia team news: Couple could return
Jose Manuel Copete, who played for Javier Aguirre at Real Mallorca, is close to returning from an ACL injury with Dimitri Foulquier also working his way back to full fitness, too.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Dimitrievski; Cesar Tarrega, Pepelu, De Haas; Pablo Maffeo, Javi Guerra, Rodriguez, Jose Luis Gaya; Dani Raba, Hugo Duro, Danjuma
Unavailable: Sergi Canos (Injured), Diego Lopez (Injured), Sadiq (Injured)
Questionable: Copete (Fitness), Foulquier (Injured)
Villarreal team news: Buchanan returns
Tajon Buchanan returned to full fitness the other day in the UEFA Champions League but his fellow Canada international teammate Nathan Saliba is also now a doubt after sustaining his own injury in this one.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Gulacsi; Freeman, Foyth, Costa, Sergi Cardona; Akhomach, Santi Comesana, Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard, Ayoze
Unavailable:
Questionable: Saliba (Injured), Pepe (Injured)
Key stats
- Villarreal lead the head-to-head since 1997/98: P52, Valencia W18 D11 Villarreal W23.
- Valencia are winless in the last five meetings (D2 L3) and have lost the last two, including 0-2 at Mestalla almost exactly a year ago (25 October 2025).
- That was Valencia's first home defeat to Villarreal in eight meetings at Mestalla (W5 D2 before it). Overall at home in the fixture they are W14 D5 L7.
- Valencia's 5-0 in April 2011 is the biggest win in the derby; Villarreal's biggest margin is three goals, most recently 4-1 in October 2013.
- Valencia are 19th with six points – only two of their previous 29 seasons since 1997/98 started as badly after nine games.
- Only once in their previous 29 seasons since 1997/98 have Valencia scored as few or fewer than six goals after nine games, and they have failed to score in five of their nine matches.
- Valencia have not won at home this season (D2 L3). Their only win came at Alavés (1-0).
- Valencia have drawn their last two (2-2 at Racing, 0-0 v Athletic).
- Villarreal have conceded in 12 consecutive La Liga away games, since February 2026.
- Villarreal are winless in two and have failed to score in both (0-1 at Real Madrid, 0-0 v Elche).
- Villarreal finished 3rd last season but are 12th with nine points after nine games – only four of their previous 26 seasons since 1997/98 had a lower total at this stage.
Statistics are La Liga only (not all competitions)
Valencia vs Villarreal prediction
Inigo Perez’ Villarreal have an entertaining style of football after they headed into the extended international break on the back of back-to-back 3-1 victories against Malaga and Levante but their lack of convincing nature and the manager’s own concerns about a disconnect between himself and the players is beginning to become a worry and Valencia, as they seek to become tougher to beat under Javier Aguirre, may well be the team to be sided with for this one at Mestalla.
Valencia vs Villarreal tip: Double chance – Valencia to win or draw
