Unai Emery seeks to cement his legacy of the Europa League while leading Villarreal to take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League’s second leg. The match schedules for Thursday at Estadio de la Ceramica, with kickoff at 10 pm.
Gerard Moreno’s first-half penalty kick proved the match reverse fixture difference, but Dinamo Zagreb has a full 90 minutes to respond away from home.
Things would have been completely different in the first leg if Mislav Orsic’s goal was not ruled out for offside. Gerard continued his impressive form for the hosts after tucking away a penalty that ended up the match-winning goal.
The difference between the two sides was clear to see, but Unai Emery remains with a lot of work to improve on ahead of the second leg clash. Their last win marked six wins across all competitions. However, the side suffered a 2-1 loss to Osasuna during the weekend with the match’s build-up.
The Croatian champions are two goals away from heading into the final four. Moreover, the visitors have not lost both legs of a two-legged knockout tie in the UEFA Cup/Europa League since the last round in 2006-07 against French outfit Auxerre.
In addition, Dinamo remains under Damir Krznar, with Zoran Mamic serving a jail sentence. The side has momentum heading into the clash after overcoming Lokomotiva Zagreb 2-0.
Villarreal vs. Dinamo Zagreb Head to Head
Both sides have three games against each other, with Villarreal takes home two wins while Dinamo Zagreb has one win. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
Villarreal 1-2 Osasuna
Dinamo Zagreb 0-1 Villarreal
Granada 0-3 Villarreal
Villarreal 2-1 Cadiz
Villarreal 2-0 Dynamo Kiev
Away
Lokomotiva 0-2 Zagreb
Zagreb 0-1 Villarreal
HNK Sibenik 1-1 Zagreb
Zagreb 1-0 Gorica
Zagreb 3-0 Tottenham
Villarreal Team News
The weekend’s loss to Osasuna changes the entire setup to the starting XI, with Gerard Moreno leading the attacking line. Other faces to feature in the clash include Manu Trigueros, Samule Chikwueze, Alfonso Pedrazza, Etienne Capoue, and Pau Torres stepping in.
Dinamo Zagreb Team News
There was a big blow for the visitors with striker Petkovic not starting, but he came on for 30 minutes and gained a start this Thursday. However, in case of any injury concerns, Mario Gavranovic remains a potential call-up.
Prediction and Odds
Zagreb is no stranger in pulling off a shock result in the second leg; thus Villarreal will be on toes.
Villarreal Win
Goals Under 2.5
Most Goals: 2H
