Preview: Villarreal vs. Athletic Bilbao - prediction, team news, lineups

Villarreal will be looking to make it back-to-back victories in Spain's top flight when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday night.

The Yellow Submarine will enter the match off the back of a 3-1 win at Osasuna on Saturday, while Athletic recorded a 2-0 victory over Huesca on Friday to rise into the top half of the table.

Match preview

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Unbeaten in La Liga since the end of September, Villarreal will enter Tuesday's contest off the back of a 3-1 victory at Osasuna; Unai Emery 's side arrived in Pamplona off the back of four straight draws but managed to return to winning ways against the team currently bottom of the division.

A record of six wins, seven draws and one defeat has seen the Yellow Submarine collect 25 points, which has left them in fourth position in the table, just one point behind second-placed Real Sociedad with a game in hand over the Basque club.

Villarreal managed to book their spot in the second round of the Copa del Rey courtesy of a 6-0 victory at Leiva last week, while they have progressed to the last-32 stage of the Europa League and will take on Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg in a two-legged affair towards the end of February.

Emery's side will certainly be looking to claim a top-four spot in La Liga this season, but they will need to improve their output in the final third if they are to finish in the Champions League positions, having scored just 19 times in their 14 matches.

Villarreal have actually not beaten Athletic in the league since September 2018, and they suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Basque club when the two teams last locked horns in March.

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Athletic have struggled for consistency this season, but Gaizka Garitano 's side managed to move into the top half of the table courtesy of a 2-0 home victory over Huesca on Friday night.

The win was the Basque club's first in the league for almost a month, and they have now picked up 17 points from their 14 matches courtesy of five wins and two defeats.

Athletic have two tough games to finish the year as they travel to Villarreal before hosting Real Sociedad, and it would certainly go down as a successful start to the campaign if they managed to enter 2021 in the top half.

Garitano's side finished 11th in La Liga last term, but they claimed seventh, fifth and seventh between 2014 and 2017 and last played in the Europa League during the 2017-18 season.

Villarreal La Liga form: WDDDDW

Villarreal form (all competitions): DWDDWW

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form: WDLDLW

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions): WDLDLW

Team News

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Villarreal will have Alfonso Pedraza available following a one-game suspension, but Francis Coquelin, Vicente Iborra, Paco Alcacer and Alberto Moreno are still on the sidelines for the Yellow Submarine.

Carlos Bacca remains a doubt, meanwhile, meaning that it could be a similar side to the one that took to the field against Osasuna on Saturday.

Moi Gomez is in line to feature in a midfield position, but Fer Nino should keep his spot in the final third of the field alongside Gerard Moreno, who netted a brace against the league's basement side.

Jaume Costa could also come in for Pervis Estupinan, who is a doubt due to the issue that he picked up in the first half of Saturday's clash.

As for Athletic, Peru Nolaskoain remains on the sidelines through injury, but Raul Garcia and Yeray Alvarez are available, having served one-match suspensions against Huesca.

Yeray should return to the back four, but Garcia could start on the bench, with Asier Villalibre potentially leading an attack which should also include Iker Muniain, Inaki Williams and Alex Berenguer.

Oscar de Marcos and Unai Lopez are options for change, but Ander Capa should keep his spot at right-back while Mikel Vesga is expected to retain his position in the middle of the park.

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol, Torres, Costa; Trigueros, M Gomez, Parejo; G Moreno, Nino, Pedraza

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Capa, Yeray, Martinez, Yuri; D Garcia, Vesga; Williams, Muniain, Berenguer; Villalibre

We say: Villarreal 2-1 Athletic Bilbao

This has all of the makings of a very interesting game of football, with both sides entering the match off the back of positive results. Athletic are capable of making it a difficult 90 minutes for the Yellow Submarine, but we just fancy the home side to edge a tight contest.

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