Villarreal Arrive at Montilivi With a Champions League Place in Their Sights

Last Updated on April 5, 2026 10:26 am by ZUWP Automation

Fourth place, 21 points of daylight, and a 5-0 reminder of exactly where the power lies in this fixture

Girona have spent much of this season treading water in mid-table, and the visit of a Villarreal side firmly embedded in the top four on Sunday evening offers little comfort. The Yellow Submarine arrive at Estadi Municipal de Montilivi having accumulated 55 points from 28 matches, sitting fourth in La Liga. Girona, on 34 points in 12th, are playing out a very different kind of campaign.

Match Details

Fixture: Girona vs Villarreal
Competition: La Liga 2025/26
Venue: Estadi Municipal de Montilivi
Date: 6 April 2026
Kick-off: 20:00 UTC

The Stakes

The 21-point gap between these sides tells the story of two very different seasons, but it does not tell the whole story of what is at risk on Monday evening. Villarreal sit fourth, a position that carries Champions League football next season. That prize is not yet secured, and every point between now and May matters.

Girona’s record of 8 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses reflects a side that has found consistency elusive. They are not in danger of the drop, but neither are they building toward anything. For them, this is a match to measure themselves against one of the division’s better sides. For Villarreal, it is three points that must be taken.

Current Form

Villarreal arrive with genuine momentum. Their last five matches read 3W 1D 1L, and the nature of that run is worth examining. They beat Valencia 2-1 at home, won 1-0 away at Levante, then defeated Elche 2-1 before drawing 1-1 away to Deportivo Alavés. The one blemish was a 1-4 defeat at Barcelona, which in context reads more like an occupational hazard than a crisis of confidence.

Girona’s form is marginally less convincing: 2W 2D 1L in their last five. They beat Athletic Club 3-0 at home and recorded a 2-1 home win over FC Barcelona, which stands as a genuine result. But they also drew 1-1 away at Levante and 2-2 at Deportivo Alavés, and lost 1-2 at home to Celta de Vigo. The pattern is of a side capable of raising their level for big occasions but prone to dropping points against opponents they should be beating.

Head to Head

The recent history between these clubs is blunt. In their last three meetings, Girona have won none: Villarreal 2W, Girona 0W, 1 draw. The most recent encounter, played in August 2025, requires no subtlety in the telling.

Villarreal put five past Girona without reply at home, winning 5-0. That result was not a fluke of circumstance; it was a statement. Girona will be acutely aware that they have not beaten Villarreal in any of their last three encounters, and the memory of that August humiliation will not have faded.

Key Players to Watch

Girona

Vladyslav Vanat leads Girona’s scoring charts with 9 goals from 26 appearances, placing him 23rd in La Liga for goals. He has 18 shots on target this season and averages 0.35 goals per game. Against a Villarreal defence that will be organised and physical, his ability to create and convert in tight spaces will be the primary question for the hosts.

Azzedine Ounahi provides a different kind of threat from midfield. Despite playing only 942 minutes, he has contributed 4 goals and 2 assists, and his 6 big chances created rank him as Girona’s top chance creator this season, 113th in La Liga overall. His energy and directness in central areas could be the key to unlocking Villarreal if Girona are to find a way through.

Villarreal

Alberto Moleiro is the player Girona will have spent the week preparing for. The midfielder has 9 goals and 4 assists in 28 appearances, ranks 27th in La Liga for goals, and leads Villarreal’s big chances created tally with 7. His shot volume is high, his conversion rate is sharp, and he has the kind of late-arriving runs into the box that are difficult to track.

Georges Mikautadze offers a complementary threat up front. His 8 goals from 25 appearances are built on an impressive 22 shots on target from 43 total attempts. He wins fouls, holds the ball up, and creates space for those around him. With Moleiro arriving late and Mikautadze occupying defenders, Villarreal have a combination that has caused problems all season.

Season Stats Comparison

The individual statistics underline just how much quality Villarreal carry across their squad. Nicolas Pépé ranks 34th in La Liga for big chances created with 10, giving Villarreal a second creative outlet beyond Moleiro. Girona’s top chance creator, Ounahi, ranks 113th with 6. That gap in creative output from wide and midfield positions is significant.

Girona’s top scorer Vladyslav Vanat and Villarreal’s Alberto Moleiro are level on 9 league goals apiece, which makes for a neat symmetry. But the depth of Villarreal’s attacking threat, spread across Moleiro, Mikautadze, Pépé and Tajon Buchanan (6 goals), is considerably greater than what Girona can offer in response.

Betting Odds

The market places Villarreal as clear favourites. Across four bookmakers, the consensus price on a Villarreal win sits around +120 to +127, implying roughly 44% probability. Girona are priced between +210 and +231 for the win, with the draw available at +240 to +250.

The totals market sits at a consensus line of 2.625 goals, with no movement from opening. Pinnacle offer Over 2.75 at -112, while BetMGM price Over 2.5 at -145, suggesting the books are settled on a moderate-scoring match rather than a high-scoring affair.

The disagreement score across bookmakers is zero on the moneyline, reflecting strong consensus. No steam moves have been detected. The market is aligned, and it is firmly behind Villarreal.

Closing Argument

Girona have shown this season that they are capable of beating the division’s elite on their day, as that 2-1 home win over Barcelona demonstrated. But form, history, and the weight of 21 points of separation all point in one direction. Villarreal are a side chasing Champions League football with genuine attacking depth and a 5-0 win over this very opponent still fresh in the collective memory. The question is not whether Girona can compete; it is whether they can find the kind of sustained defensive discipline and clinical edge that has eluded them too often this season. If Moleiro is given the space he has found so frequently in 2025/26, the answer will come quickly.