Villarreal welcomes Juventus to El Madrigal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The match is set to kick off at 3 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the Villarreal vs. Juventus odds and lines, and make our best Champions League bets, picks and predictions.
Currently sitting 6th in La Liga competition, Villarreal was able to make it in the Round of 16 following a second-place finish in the Manchester United-won Group F.
Villarreal ended with 3 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses, scoring 12 goals and allowing 9. Twenty-five-year-old Netherland F Arnaut Groeneveld leads Villarreal in goals per 90 minutes.
Juventus has slid to 4th in Serie A play after losing F Cristiano Ronaldo. It still won Group H though, defeating Chelsea while proceeding to win 5 of 6 group-stage games. Juventus is led by Argentinian star F Paulo Dybala.
Villarreal vs. Juventus: Odds, picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:54 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Villarreal +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | Juventus +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Draw +205
- Over/Under: 2.5 (O: +130 | U: -165)
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Prediction
Villarreal 1, Juventus 1
Money line (ML)
LEAN to a DRAW (+205).
Juventus has proven so far this season that it is the better side, winning the group and defeating a top EPL side. It also has the star power.
However, on the road, I can’t fully back Juventus. It is just 6-5-2 on the road in Serie A action. It was also destroyed 4-0 by Chelsea in its second group-stage meeting. While it did manage 5 wins, 3 were by just 1 goal.
As for Villarreal, it is coming off a draw with Real Madrid, the best side in La Liga.
It also has 7 wins in 13 home league matches. Villarreal held the top-scoring La Liga side to 0 goals, and it allowed just 9 goals in 6 Champions League matches.
Overall, these two sides match up well, both with solid defenses and capable attacks. Given that, a DRAW (+205) is the best way to play the outcome of this Round of 16 battle.
Over/Under (O/U)
BET UNDER 2.5 (-165).
If there’s one thing that both teams have proven in Champions League play and their respective national league play, it is defend. Villarreal allowed 9 in 6 games, whereas Juventus allowed just 6.
With Villarreal having given up 24 goals in 25 matches and Juventus just 23 in 26 matches in their respective league play, both teams have had their season defined by being able to defend.
That’s what is expected to happen here, and it’s worth a play on the expensive odds. Also, 3 of the 4 UEFA Champions League matches have gone Under 2.5 with the only one going over in a Man City thrashing of Sporting.
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