Bayer vs Villarreal prediction, H2H and probable lineups - 28 January 2025
One of the matches of the 8th round of the main stage of the 2025/26 Champions League will take place on Wednesday at the BayArena in Leverkusen, where the local Bayer side will host Spanish outfit Villarreal. I'm backing a bet on goals in this clash, with solid chances for success.
Match preview
The Leverkusen club is still battling for a playoff spot in the Champions League. Cracking the top eight is already out of reach, but their hopes of finishing in the top 24 are still alive. Bayer currently sits in 20th place with 9 points. Last season's experience shows that this might not be enough to progress—at least 11 points are required. The situation could have been much better if the team hadn’t unexpectedly lost to Greek side Olympiacos 0-2 in the previous round.
In this Champions League campaign, Bayer has managed only two victories, both away from home: against Benfica in Lisbon (1-0) and Manchester City in England (2-0). Their home performances have been far less impressive—a draw with Dutch side PSV (1-1), another draw with Newcastle (2-2), and a heavy defeat to French powerhouse PSG (2-7).
It’s worth recalling that last season, Leverkusen were much more convincing, finishing the group stage in the top eight. However, they were drawn against Bayern Munich in the round of 16 and crashed out with an aggregate score of 0-5. Clearly, the team would love to repeat that run, but achieving it now will be extremely difficult.
As for Villarreal, the "Yellow Submarine" are having a disastrous Champions League campaign. The Spaniards have lost six of their seven matches, drawing only once—against Juventus in Turin (2-2). They have no wins and any hopes of playoff qualification have long since vanished. Paradoxically, Villarreal are performing quite well in La Liga, sitting in fourth place. It seems the team is prioritizing their domestic campaign.
This stands in stark contrast to their previous Champions League exploits. The last time Villarreal played in this tournament was in the 2021/22 season, when they sensationally reached the semifinals, knocking out Juventus and Bayern along the way before falling to Liverpool. Now, fans can only reminisce about those glory days and hope for a return to that level.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Bayer have conceded the first goal in four of their last five matches.
- Villarreal have lost their last three matches.
- Villarreal have conceded in eight consecutive games.
- These teams have faced each other four times: Villarreal have won three, with one match ending in a draw.
- Their last head-to-head was in the 2015/16 Europa League Round of 32. The Spanish side advanced confidently, winning the tie 2-0 on aggregate.
- They have never met in the Champions League before.
Probable lineups
- Bayer: Blaswich - Quansah, Andrich, Badé - Vázquez, Maza, García, Grimaldo - Hofmann, Poku, Schick
- Villarreal: Júnior - Pedraza, Veiga, Marín, Cardona - Pépé, Parejo, Partey, Moleiro - Pérez, Oluwaseyi
Prediction
Despite Villarreal’s poor display in this tournament, I wouldn’t confidently bet on their defeat. The final round often brings surprises and unexpected results. One thing seems almost certain—this match should deliver goals. My prediction: over 2.5 total goals.
