Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal will be bidding to put pressure on sixth-placed Real Sociedad in the La Liga table when they travel to Rayo Vallecano on Thursday night.
The Yellow Submarine are currently seventh, three points behind Real Sociedad in sixth, while Rayo occupy 12th position, boasting 42 points from their 35 league matches this season.
Villarreal incredibly reached the Champions League semi-finals by dispatching Bayern Munich in the last eight, but their journey in the competition came to an end in the final four, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Liverpool.
Unai Emery‘s side have actually lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, with their last league success coming at home to Valencia on April 19, but they picked up a welcome point against Sevilla last time out
Villarreal are currently in the race to secure a Europa League position. Emery’s team will actually take on the Basque outfit in their penultimate match of the season on May 15 before heading to Barcelona on May 22, so they will have to do it the hard way if the club are to book their spot in next season’s Europa League.
Villarreal need the points more than Rayo, but the home side’s recent form must be respected, therefore this is a difficult match to call. It would not be a surprise to see a home or away victory on Thursday, but we believe that the two teams could ultimately cancel each other out in an entertaining draw.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
