With the new La Liga season only one week away, Outside90’s Dave Blackmore examines the crucial fixtures for Villarreal in 2015-16.
Real Betis vs Villarreal, 23 August
The opening round of the season takes the Yellow Submarine to Andalusia to take on Real Betis. Los Verdiblancos will be riding a high after last season’s successful promotion from the Segunda division.
Betis were relegated during the 2013-14 season but only spent one season in the second tier before bouncing back. They topped the Segunda division in 2014-15 with two games to spare to secure promotion.
The last encounter between these two teams ended with the spoils shared in a 1-1 draw at El Madrigal. Villarreal will like its chances to take three points in the first game of the season but will be facing a team who scored a league high of 73 goals last season.
Villarreal vs Espanyol, 28 August
The first home game of the season sees El Submarino Amarillo face the other team from Barcelona – Espanyol.
A raucous El Madrigal will welcome their team for the 2015-16 season and will be hoping to see a better result than last season’s 3-0 loss. That was Villarreal’s biggest home defeat and fans will be looking for a much better showing. A likely 6 or 7 changes from the Villarreal team that took the field on April 9 2015 will mean that this will be a completely different match than that day.
The sale of first choice goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to Real Madrid has been Espanyol’s biggest move in the transfer window but rumours persist of the Periquitos looking to buy Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno.
Barcelona vs Villarreal, 1 November
Villarreal’s trip to the champions comes in round 11 as the Yellow Submarine travel to the Camp Nou to take on Barcelona.
Villarreal were competitive against the Blaugrana last season but saw two defeats. A 1-0 loss at home and 3-2 loss away means that they matched it with the champions but were not good enough to take the spoils. The two men that scored on the first of February 2015 for Villarreal, Luciano Vietto and Denis Cheryshev, have left the club but new men Leo Baptistao and Samu Castillejo will look to fill those boots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N9rCboBSO8
Any result at the Camp Nou would be favourable for Villarreal, who will strive for defensive steeliness and look to hit Barcelona on the counter attack.
Villarreal vs Valencia, 20 December
The home derby.
Many managers have said that you can lose every game during the season but if you win the derby then the fans will still support you.
Valencia will take the 40 minute drive to El Madrigal for the first Valencian derby of the season. Los Che got the better of the Yellow Submarine last season winning 3-1 at El Madrigal and drawing 0-0 at the Mestalla.
Manu Trigueros scored both a goal and an own goal during the first derby so will be looking to improve in one of those categories. German defender Shkodran Mustafi scored both the other goals for Valencia so look for him to receive a frosty reception.
Previous results mean that the travelling fans will be buoyant but the home crowd will be giving everything for their team to take out their neighbours.
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Athletic Club Bilbao vs Villarreal, 7 February
The San Mames stadium was home to Villarreal’s biggest defeat last season as they lost 4-0 to Bilbao on the final day of the 2014-15 season.
The Yellow Submarine will target this fixture to see how much they have improved in the eight months between fixtures. With little to play for on the final day, sixth was where they would finish regardless of result, Villarreal put in a sluggish performance. The travelling fans will need to see more from the Amarillos in Basque Country than they did on the final day.
In contrast, the home fixture ended 2-0 to Villarreal so the Yellow Submarine can look to that day for inspiration.
The 2015-16 season looks to be a big one for Villarreal, with a push for a Champions League spot not beyond El Submarino Amarillo. Look to these five fixtures as a measuring stick for how good Villarreal really are.
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