Villarreal host Young Boys in Match week four of the Champions League in a key Group F encounter. The hosts are currently placed second in the group with four points from three matches while the visitors see themselves at bottom of the group with three points from as many fixtures. Villarreal started with a 2-2 draw with Atalanta followed by a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United before they could get their first win over Young Boys themselves with a 4-1 scoreline. Unai Emery’s side have struggled to get going in the La Liga and will be looking to redeem themselves at Europe’s biggest club competition. Villarreal have key defensive concerns to address since they have not managed a single clean sheet in their previous five matches. They also have had over 1.5 goals in five out of their last seven matches. A win for Villarreal will put them in a commendable position to qualify from the group to the knock-out stages.
Young Boys on the contrary, have been a competitive side in their domestic league. They are placed third in the Swiss Super League. However, the team’s form in the domestic competition has not had much impact on their underwhelming campaign in the Champions League. They started with an unexpected 2-1 win over Manchester United before facing defeats against Atalanta and Villarreal with 1-0 and 4-1 score lines. David Wagner’s side desperately need a win to revitalise their Champions League run. Young Boys also have had over 1.5 goals in ten out of their last twelve matches, thanks to their defensive lapses at the back. They have not managed a single clean sheet in their last five matches.
Both sides come into the game without a consistent run of results. The two teams have had trouble getting regular wins, courtesy of their shaky defending in the last few matches. The two teams have seldom managed to keep a clean sheet and hence, we are going for over 1.5 goals in this fixture.