GNK Dinamo Zagreb vs Villarreal Prediction & Betting Tips - Europa League

Prediction published on 06/04/2021, 03:59  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 06/04/2021 at 04:01 in Europa League Predictions

One of the best fixtures lined up as Europa League resumes for the quarter finals will have Dinamo Zagreb host Villarreal in the first leg this Thursday. Both sides are doing well in their domestic leagues and head here for what could be a very tactical encounter. Dinamo Zagreb stayed top of their domestic league despite the 1-1 draw with Sibenik, which was their fourth straight unbeaten outing. New coach Damir Krznar is doing well after the fine start with a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and they have three clean sheets in the four matches. The team has scored 10 goals and conceded one in the four matches and at home, they have eight straight wins, all with clean sheets, including two in the Europa League. They’ve scored two or more goals in five of the eight home matches and carry just one loss in the 10 Europa League matches so far this season. The only loss came in the first leg against Spurs but the Croats did well to overturn that with a 3-0 win at home, making it seven wins in 10 Europa League matches. The hero in that home win was Mislav Orsic, who scored all three goals to take his Europa League tally to five goals. Bruno Petkovic is also a key man in the team, with four goals in the competition and having been rested in the weekend game, should be a starter here. Dinamo Zagreb are unbeaten in 14 home matches in this competition, winning 11, and are on four straight wins at home. Their last five Europa League home matches have produced four clean sheets.

Villarreal are managed by Unai Emery, a specialist in this competition and the results so far have reflected just that. The Spanish side heads to this game after a 3-0 win away to Granada, their fifth straight victory, with three clean sheets and two or more goals scored in each. One man to watch in this game will be Gerard Moreno, whose fine form sees him at six goals in the last three matches. They eliminated Dynamo Kiev 4-0 on aggregate in the last round and heading here they have three straight away wins. Villarreal haven’t tasted defeat in the Europa League this season; in the 10 matches, they’ve won nine and Moreno has been great for the team there as well, scoring four to complement Paco Alcacer who has five. The two lethal forwards will be on show in Zagreb; Alcacer only featured in the final 27 minutes of the Granada win as Moreno scored a hat trick in his 63 minutes on the pitch. Villarreal have four wins in the last five Europa League away matches, with three straight clean sheets.