Real Oviedo vs Villarreal Prediction: Big result for bottom-of-the-table Oviedo

Bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo host third-placed Villarreal at the Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere on Thursday evening (20:30 BST, Premier Sports 1), with a mammoth 34 points separating the two sides after 31 rounds of La Liga fixtures.

Below are my Real Oviedo vs Villarreal predictions, alongside all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Nicolas Fonseca is suspended for Real Oviedo due to an accumulation of yellow cards, while Luke Ilic (Achilles), Alex Fores (muscle) and Jaime Vazquez (groin) are out injured, with Leandro Dendoncker (unspecified) doubtful after missing his side’s last six games.

Football Odds

Like midfield counterpart Fonseca, Villarreal’s Santi Comesana is suspended on Thursday after receiving his fifth yellow card of the league campaign against Athletic Club last time out.

Meanwhile, Pau Cabanes, Logan Costa (both knee) and Juan Foyth (Achilles) are still in the Yellow Submarines’ treatment room.

Real Oviedo vs Villarreal Odds

Real Oviedo, who have won three of their last four games (L1), are 5/2, or a 28.6% chance, to collect all three points, while Villarreal, who coasted to a 2-0 victory in August’s reverse fixture, are 21/20 favourites, implying a 48.8% probability of success, with the draw offered at 5/2.

Draw No Bet - Real Oviedo @ 6/4

Two of Oviedo’s three wins in the last four rounds of fixtures came at home to fellow relegation-threatened sides Valencia and Sevilla (both 1-0), but they will have taken great confidence from a 3-0 victory at Europa League hopefuls Celta Vigo last time out.

Villarreal, likely to finish third or fourth, represent a step up in class from Celta, but crucially, they have little to play for. Leaders FC Barcelona and second-placed Real Madrid appear uncatchable, while fifth-placed Real Betis are highly unlikely to overtake them, so it looks like a battle for third with Atletico, but even fourth would guarantee Champions League football returns to the Ceramica next season.

Today's Football Fixtures

The Yellow Submarine triumphed 2-1 at Athletic Club last time out, but they had failed to win their three previous away games, losing 4-1 at Barcelona and 1-0 at Girona either side of a 1-1 draw at Deportivo Alaves.

Oviedo’s squad is nowhere near as talented as Villarreal’s, but crucially, they have everything to play for as they bid to retain their La Liga status, and so I think they will be going all out for three points.

I like the look of the hosts in the Draw No Bet market at 6/4.

Player to Receive a Card - Santiago Colombatto (OVI) @ 13/8

Oviedo midfielder Santiago Colombatto, who is averaging two fouls per 90 in this season’s La Liga, has been booked six times in 26 appearances (18 starts).

The 29-year-old has been a second-half substitute in Oviedo’s last five games, but with Fonseca suspended, I’m expecting the Argentine to start for the first time since March 4.

Colombatto’s likely midfield opponents on Thursday are Pape Gueye and Dani Parejo, who are averaging 2.3 and 1.7 fouls won per 90, respectively, in this season’s La Liga.