Villarreal vs Copenhagen Prediction: Huge win for hosts

Two clubs struggling in the lower echelons of the 2025/26 Uefa Champions League league phase, Villarreal and FC Copenhagen, meet at the former's Estadio de la Ceramica on Wednesday (17:45 GMT, TNT Sports 4) in a game that could either end or reignite their respective knockout phase qualification hopes.

Below are my Villarreal vs Copenhagen predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Villarreal defender Juan Foyth is serving a suspension for the red card he received in the Yellow Submarine's last Champions League game, a 4-0 hammering at Borussia Dortmund on November 25.

Pau Cabanes, Logna Costa (both knee) and Willy Kambwala (hamstring) are ruled out with injuries, while there are doubts over the fitness of Dani Parejo, Gerard Moreno (both muscle), Thomas Partey and Santiago Mourino (both unspecified).

Football Odds

Copenhagen, meanwhile, are without Danish midfielder Lukas Lerager, who is banned after accumulating too many yellow cards.

Rodrigo Huescas, Magnus Mattsson (both knee) and Oliver Hojer (unspecified) are injured and won't make the trip to Spain.

Villarreal vs Copenhagen Odds

Despite failing to win any of their first five European games this season, Villarreal are big favourites to collect all three points on Wednesday, with odds of 2/5 implying a 71.4% probability of success. Copenhagen, who have lost both away matches in the league phase, are 7/1, or a 12.5% chance, to stun their hosts and triumph, with the draw priced at 4/1.

To Win to Nil - Villarreal @ 13/10

Villarreal have lost four of their five Champions League games this season, drawing the other, and the Yellow Submarine have failed to score in all four defeats.

However, they were dealt a tough fixture list to start the campaign, with home matches against Juventus (2-2) and Manchester City (0-2), as well as trips to Tottenham Hotspur (1-0), Pafos (1-0) and Borussia Dortmund (4-0).

That defeat to Pafos in Cyprus was particularly disappointing, but they've hardly disgraced themselves in the other four games. Remember, they were reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute of their 4-0 loss to Dortmund with the German side just 1-0 ahead at the time.

On paper, Copenhagen at home is their easiest assignment so far.

Today's Football Fixtures

The Danish club only moved up to four points with a 3-2 home victory over Kairat last time out, also drawing one and losing three of their first four games, like Villarreal.

A 2-2 home draw with Bayer Leverkusen on matchday one was creditable, but losses away to Qarabag (2-0) and Tottenham (4-0), the latter despite the hosts going down to 10 men in the 57th minute, either side of a 4-2 home defeat to Dortmund, were less so.

Without a goal on their league-phase travels this season, Copenhagen, who have lost their last three Danish Superliga away matches, the latest two without scoring, are rank outsiders on Wednesday, and for good reason.

Villarreal have won their last three contests at home, keeping clean sheets against Rayo Vallecano (4-0) and Getafe (2-0), either side of a marginal success over Real Mallorca (2-1), and there's every reason to believe they can record a shutout in victory over Copenhagen in midweek.

Player to Receive a Card - Marcos Lopez (KBH) @ 11/4

Copenhagen left-back Marcos Lopez received three yellow cards in seven Uefa Conference League appearances last season, and in five UCL league-phase matches (four starts) this term, he's been cautioned twice, at home to Leverkusen and away to Qarabag.

The 26-year-old is averaging two fouls per game in the league phase, committing one, five, one and three, respectively, in his four starts against Leverkusen, Qarabag, Spurs and Kairat.

On Wednesday, Lopez could be tasked with marking Villarreal winger Nicolas Pepe, who is averaging 1.8 fouls won per game in this season's Champions League.

The Ivory Coast international was fouled four times against Juventus, who saw their two starting wing-backs, Juan Cabal and Andrea Cambiaso - the latter switched sides after the former was withdrawn in the 16th minute due to injury - booked for offences against the former Arsenal man.

Lopez, then, could be in trouble if Pepe starts running at him at the Ceramica.