Villarreal vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Predictions

• Villarreal have won five and drawn two of their last seven matches in all competitions.
• The Yellow Submarine have won their last five home games, scoring at least two goals in each outing.
• Maccabi Tel-Aviv have shipped at least two goals in three of their last four away games and are likely to find Thursday’s step up in class too much to handle.

High flying Spaniards Should Be Too Strong

Villarreal and Maccabi Tel-Aviv top Group I after both winning their opening two fixtures, but the Israeli champions should be put firmly in their place by their Spanish hosts on Thursday evening.

Aside from a 4-0 hammering at Barcelona in late September, it’s been a superb start to the campaign on both fronts for Villarreal under new boss Unai Emery.

The Yellow Submarine are third in La Liga eight games in while they hold a commanding position at the top of Group I, following wins against Sivasspor (5-3) and Qarabag (1-3).

It seems Emery’s charges have learned serious lessons from that chastening defeat at Camp Nou, which to date remains their only reverse of the campaign. Since, Villarreal have kept three clean sheets in six, but they’ve also been equally efficient at the other end of the field.

Thursday’s hosts have smashed in 12 goals in their last five matches, while at la Ceramica, they’ve won their last five scoring at least twice in each outing.

Villarreal look nailed on here to beat a Tel-Aviv side who have failed to win any of their four domestic matches this term, but there’s greater value laying in the team goals market.

With the Yellow Submarine firing and the visitors conceding at least twice in three of their last four away games, a three-point wager on Emery’s side to net over 1.5 goals this Thursday looks a safe and profitable play, while 4-1 tempts in the correct score market.

Villarreal have kept several clean sheets of late but their concession of goals in both Europa League assignments so far gives the Israeli’s hope of bagging a consolation.