Paphos vs Villarreal Predictions

• Villarreal have won their last three matches, all without conceding
• Paphos have failed to score in two of their three league phase matches
• Dani Parejo hit the crossbar with a free-kick for Villarreal on Sunday

Luiz a liability for struggling Cypriots 

Villarreal are unlikely to give Paphos many opportunities to score as they face the Cypriot champions in their 50th Champions League match on Wednesday evening. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side eased to a 4-0 home victory over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend and looked very secure in defence.

Meanwhile, Paphos struggled to a 1-0 win over AEL Limassol in their latest league encounter amid accusations that David Luiz should have seen a red card for a stray elbow that was not even checked by VAR.

Luiz remains a key figure for the team as he takes free-kicks and gets on the end of corners in both boxes, but his days as a Champions League-level defender were neither recent or very long.

Yellow Submarines can secure solid win

Villarreal should have too much dynamism in attack and control in midfield for the home side, who could be of the least potent teams ever to play in the competition. Paphos have the fourth-worst expected goals in the league phase and the lowest figure for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, which tells you all you need to know about their approach.

They are prepared to suffer without the ball and hang on for a draw, or a chance to grab something on a counter-attack or set-piece. But the Yellow Submarines are too crafty to fall for that and in midfielders like Santi Comesana and Dani Parejo, they should exert their authority.

Comesana has got three goals in his last five games but Parejo, who hit the crossbar with a free-kick in Villarreal’s big weekend win, could be the man to watch here as Pafis do give away a lot of free-kicks within shooting range.