Malaga vs Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

By Matt Law | 15 Sep 2026 09:45, Last updated: 15 Sep 2026 09:49

Villarreal's hunt for their archetypal triumph of the 2026-27 run volition proceed connected Thursday evening erstwhile they caput to Estadio La Rosaleda to tackle Malaga.

The Yellow Submarine are down successful 18th spot successful the La Liga table, picking up conscionable 2 points from 5 matches, portion Malaga are 17th, collecting 3 points from their opening 5 games.

Match preview

Malaga person a grounds of 3 draws and 2 defeats from their opening 5 league matches of the season, with 3 points leaving them down successful 17th spot successful the division.

Juan Francisco Funes' broadside secured promotion backmost to this level done the 2025-26 Segunda Division playoffs, and they are inactive waiting for their archetypal triumph of the campaign.

The White and Sky Blues volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a 1-1 gully with Celta Vigo, and they person really shared the points successful 3 of their past 4 games.

Malaga person struggled severely successful the last 3rd of the tract this season, lone scoring twice, which is the second-worst attacking grounds down Valencia (one).

The White and Sky Blues person faced Villarreal connected 32 occasions passim history, and it is the Yellow Submarine that pb the head-to-head grounds 12 victories to 10.

Villarreal person won 5 of their past 7 matches against Malaga, but it was 1-0 to the second erstwhile the brace past locked horns successful April 2018.

There is nary getting distant from the information that it has been a pugnacious commencement to the play for the Yellow Submarine, who volition participate Thursday's fixture disconnected the backmost of 4 consecutive losses successful each competitions.

Inigo Perez's broadside opened their La Liga run with successive draws against Racing de Santander and Atletico Madrid, but they person mislaid their past 3 successful the league against Alaves, Deportivo La Coruna and Real Betis to beryllium down successful 18th spot successful the array connected 2 points.

Villarreal were besides beaten 3-2 by Borussia Dortmund successful their Champions League league signifier opener, truthful different nonaccomplishment present would mean 5 successful a row.

The Yellow Submarine finished 3rd successful Spain's apical formation past season, with an fantabulous run seeing the squad prime up 72 points from their 38 matches.

Malaga La Liga form:

Villarreal La Liga form:

Villarreal signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Malaga presently person a fig of first-team absentees, with Julen Lopete, Fernando Calero, Moussa Diarra, Diego Murillo and Aaron Ochoa retired done injury, portion Adam Aznou, Carlos Dotor and Alex Pastor request to beryllium assessed, having missed retired against Celta done illness.

Chupe has scored erstwhile for Malaga this season, and the 22-year-old volition again diagnostic successful the last 3rd of the tract here.

There should besides beryllium starts successful the guardant areas for Joaquin Munoz and David Larrubia.

As for Villarreal, Juan Foyth is retired with an Achilles injury, but the Yellow Submarine are different successful beardown signifier successful presumption of their squad.

Head manager Perez is expected to defy the temptation to marque wholesale changes to his broadside pursuing the nonaccomplishment to Real Betis, with Gerard Moreno acceptable to clasp his starting role.

Nicolas Pepe and Santi Comesana are besides expected to proceed successful the archetypal XI.

Malaga imaginable starting lineup:

Herrero; Rafita, Recio, Galilea, Salinas; Merino; Larrubia, Martinez, Lorenzo, Munoz; Chupe

Villarreal imaginable starting lineup:

Gulacsi; Mourino, Navarro, Veiga, Romero; Pepe, Gueye, Comesana, Buchanan; G Moreno, Mikautadze

We say: Malaga 1-2 Villarreal

Villarreal's winless tally volition travel to an extremity astatine immoderate stage, and we are expecting that to hap connected Thursday against a Malaga broadside that are besides struggling to enactment a triumph connected the board.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.