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

Prediction published on 12/04/2021, 23:25  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 12/04/2021 at 23:28 in Europa League Predictions

Villarreal have one foot in the Europa League semi finals ahead of their home game against Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday. Villarreal registered a 1-0 win away and will be looking to finish off the job in the return leg. The victory in Croatia handed Villarreal six straight wins but they were brought down to earth in La Liga with a 2-1 loss to Osasuna over the weekend. Gerard Moreno scored the winner in the first leg and his fine form will be key for the home side here. He has now scored seven in the last five matches, while he has 24 goals in the season. The Spanish side has scored in each of the last five matches, notching two goals or more in three and keeping three clean sheets. Villarreal are managed by a very successful coach in the Europa League – Unai Emery – and are unbeaten in the 11 matches played this season. They head to this game on the back of seven straight wins in the competition and haven’t conceded a goal in the last three. At home, they have five straight wins in Europa League, and scored two or more goals in each, totaling 16 goals and four conceded.

Dinamo returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Lokomotiva Zagreb in their domestic league, registering their third clean sheet in the last five matches. That is the result they’ll need in Spain to overturn the deficit they carry there. They did overturn a 2-0 first leg loss to Tottenham but that was at home and though they have three wins in the last four away matches in the Europa League, the task here is tougher. Dinamo head to this game with two losses in three Europa League matches and only two clean sheets in the last six. In the last five away Europa League matches, Dinamo have three clean sheets and how they defend in Spain will be crucial, as they face one of the top forwards currently in Europe. Attack will also be key, because they can only advance if they score and having netted two or more in three of their last four away matches in this competition, the belief is there. One man who will be crucial in attack is Mislav Orsic; the team has scored four goals in the last four Europa League matches. Orsic has scored them all.