Valencia want to make this derby physical from the opening exchanges. Villarreal are set up to press through the middle and send runners around the outside. The first clean pass after a midfield duel should decide which side gets into the box more often.
Valencia's improved second half against Athletic brought sixteen shots but only three on target. Villarreal created seven on-target attempts and sixteen box shots against Elche, then kept finding forward passes at Liverpool. Guerra and Otorbi can reach Duro for the hosts, while Moleiro and Cardona can attack the space behind Valencia's advancing wide players.
Aguirre has ruled out Copete, Foulquier and Sadiq. Pérez has said Romero misses out, and Saliba came off at Liverpool with discomfort; the starting sides have not been confirmed. Villarreal still showed a late route through Ayoze and Oluwaseyi after changing attackers. I expect Valencia to contest the early duels, then Villarreal to find more repeatable goalmouth entries as those spaces open. That's why I'm siding with Villarreal to win.
