Tuesday’s Andalusian derby at the Pizjuán brings together two teams entering the sixth round with completely different prospects. After a mixed start to the season, Sevilla showed character in Vitoria, winning 2-1 against Alavés, with Alexis Sánchez responding to his skeptics with a decisive goal. Villarreal are third in the table with ten points and bounced back from a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Champions League with a win against Osasuna. However, Marcelino’s visitors come to Sevilla with considerable personnel problems: Gerard Moreno is still out, Foyth is injured for several weeks, and the personnel shortage is worsening just before the most difficult part of the season. Villarreal’s dominance in recent head-to-head matches is remarkable, with three wins in four encounters, although both teams have scored in each of the last five meetings. Sevilla will be looking to break this negative run in front of their home crowd, while Villarreal will be looking to confirm their strong away form.
- Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville
- Date and time: 09/23/2025, 9:30 p.m.
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 6)
Sevilla form & record check
Sevilla FC is going through a mixed period, which is quite typical for the early weeks of a season. After five league games, Matías Almeyda’s team is in ninth place in the table with seven points, level on points with its direct rival Alavés. The recent 2-1 defeat to Alavés was a real test of character. The team is much more stable away from home than at home, with both wins coming on the road: 2-0 against Girona and most recently in Vitoria. The away game in Mendizorroza in particular showed positive signs, with Rubén Vargas scoring early and Alexis Sánchez, just minutes after coming on as a substitute, sealing the 2-1 win after Carlos Vicente had equalized from the penalty spot. The statistics from the last five games show a certain offensive strength with goals in every game, but also defensive vulnerability with goals conceded in four of five games. Particularly striking is the accuracy in both halves, which was successful in 80% of cases. With only €22.139 million, Sevilla has the lowest salary cap in the Primera División. This limitation is reflected in the depth of the squad, with injuries such as that to Ramón Martínez adding to the strain. Almeyda is therefore relying on the experience of veterans such as 36-year-old Alexis Sánchez, who has already contributed a goal and an assist in his first 105 minutes of play.
Matías Almeyda is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 3-4-2-1 formation, which has seen the team put in some convincing performances recently. Isaac Romero is likely to start up front after rediscovering his scoring touch and benefiting from the coach’s confidence. Behind him, Rubén Vargas and Alexis Sánchez could provide creative impetus, with the Chilean fighting for a starting spot after his decisive goal against Alavés. In midfield, the tried-and-tested quartet of Carmona, Mendy, Agoumé, and Suazo is expected to start. Ramón Martínez is still out with a thigh injury, so there will be no change to the lineup for the time being. In the back three, Azpilicueta, Nianzou, and Marcão should enjoy the coach’s confidence, while Vlachodimos could be between the posts after Nyland’s inconsistent performances have raised questions about the goalkeeping situation again.
Villarreal Form & Record Check
Villarreal returns to Seville in good spirits after a 2-1 home win against Osasuna. The Yellow Submarine had to wait until the 69th minute for Mikautadze to score the equalizer, but their numerical superiority after Rosier’s red card in the 40th minute helped Gueye seal the late comeback. The win stabilizes Villarreal in third place with ten points. Marcelino looks back on the past few weeks with mixed feelings. The 1-0 defeat at Tottenham in the Champions League was a manageable setback, but the manner of the early goal conceded by Luiz Júnior was unnecessary. The 2-0 defeat at Atlético Madrid a week earlier showed that the team lacks creativity against compact defensive lines. Villarreal has been more consistent in La Liga than in Europe so far. Injury worries are mounting at an inopportune time: Gerard Moreno is still out with muscle problems, Foyth will be out for several weeks, and Costa and Kambwala will be absent for the long term. This significantly limits Marcelino’s options, especially in attack, where the alternatives do not yet seem to be working well together. On a positive note, the league record is four games, two wins, one draw, and one defeat. The defense is generally solid, but concedes goals regularly. It is striking that Villarreal has conceded more than 1.5 goals in four of its last five games. The 5-0 win against Girona at the end of August now seems like an outlier.
Marcelino is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 formation, even though his squad is currently thinning out. The news suggests a “plaga de lesiones” (plague of injuries): Gerard Moreno is out for several weeks with a muscle injury, and Foyth will miss a few games. Mikautadze could play a central role in attack after seeing little action against Tottenham. The central midfield pairing of Partey and Gueye seems set, with the Ghanaian still available despite his off-field commitments. The line-up on the wings will be interesting, with Moleiro and Pépé recently establishing themselves as creative options. In defense, it remains to be seen how Marcelino will compensate for the absences. The return to league action after the Champions League defeat against Spurs may require tactical adjustments, even if the basic formation is to be retained.
H2H Sevilla – Villarreal Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The recent record clearly favors Villarreal. In the last five meetings since 2023, the Andalusians have won only once, while the Yellow Submarine has claimed three victories. The only draw was in December 2023, with a 1-1 result at the Sánchez Pizjuán. This pairing almost always turns into a goal fest: both teams have scored in all five encounters, with only one game remaining under 2.5 goals. Villarreal has shown remarkable consistency in the second half, scoring at least one goal in each of the last five meetings. It is particularly bitter for Sevilla that, although they score regularly, they have major problems defensively. The Andalusians have conceded goals in all five games and are particularly vulnerable after the break. Villarreal exploited this weakness most recently in May 2025, winning 4-2 away from home. The highest-scoring match in the series took place in May 2024, when Villarreal won 3-2 at home. Both defenses are regularly overwhelmed in these encounters, which suggests an entertaining game.
The first tip for over 2.5 goals is based on Sevilla’s offensive consistency, as they have exceeded this mark in four of their last five encounters and have scored in every league game. Villarreal travel with defensive concerns, as center back Logan Costa and right back Juan Foyth are missing, which could be problematic against Sevilla’s resurgent offense led by Alexis Sánchez. The Chilean has already contributed a goal and an assist in just 105 minutes, and Isaac Romero is clearly benefiting from Almeyda’s system, which creates more space for the forwards. The second tip of Sevilla to score at least twice is particularly interesting given their recent encounters with Villarreal, as they have scored at least twice in each of their last three meetings. The absence of the visitors’ regular center-backs could continue this streak, especially as Sevilla have been impressive away from home recently. The combination of a Sevilla win and both teams scoring reflects the fact that Villarreal have scored in four of their five league games despite Gerard Moreno’s injury, while Sevilla’s home advantage and current momentum could make the difference.
