Back-to-back Champions League in sight for Villarreal: five reasons | OneFootball

Villarreal have moved on from the Spotify Camp Nou and, with the heavyweights out of the way, can realistically eye a second successive Champions League berth.

With twelve matches left, Villarreal sit fourth on 51 points, level with Atlético de Madrid and eight clear of fifth-placed Betis. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, a win in their game in hand against Levante rebuilt the gap after Betis drew with Rayo and Sevilla at La Cartuja, having led the derby 2-0.

Espanyol are a distant rival at fifteen points back. The more relevant marker is sixth-placed Celta, eleven behind and due at the Estadio de la Cerámica on the weekend of 23-24 April, after a 1-1 in Balaídos.

The season’s coefficient race could award LaLiga a fifth Champions League place. If that materialises, the qualifying bar drops to sixth, which would further cushion Villarreal’s position.

The run-in looks kind. The toughest test, on paper, is Atlético de Madrid at home on the final day, with Elche, Levante and Sevilla also visiting, plus Real Sociedad and Celta. Trips to Alavés, Girona, Oviedo, Mallorca, Rayo and Athletic follow, while Betis and Celta juggle Europa League duties.

Injuries are easing. Gerard Moreno is aiming to be ready for Elche, with Ayoze Pérez managed carefully. Willy Kambwala and Logan Costa are nearing returns, which could leave Pau Cabanes and Juan Foyth as the only absentees for the run-in.

LaLiga has kept Villarreal’s LCPD at 173.084 million euros, fourth behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. It is roughly fifty million above Betis and almost double Celta’s 91.1. The cap is each club’s maximum permitted squad spend.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo