Lots of Villarreal rotations likely for the Mestalla

How likely is it we can overturn a 3-1 deficit from a home leg in the EL? Not very, as we would need a 3-0 win over Valencia in the Mestalla, and there is a big match in the league for us on Sunday, and two more the following week.

It appears Javi Calleja has come to that conclusion too, because word is we will have a lot of cantera players in our team on Thursday. Of course there’s Morlanes and Chukwueze, there is Quintillà, but Andrei, Chuca, Pepe Castaño and Ramon Bueno are all likely to be in the squad as well. So too Manu Trigueros and Jaume Costa, recuperating from injury. I would hope Santi Cazorla and Vicente Iborra get the day off—they could use it I believe.

Quintillà did the normal Villarreal press conference today (not the pre-Europa League one), so that might be an indication we’ll see him again on Sunday.

In other news, Betis have signed their Paris Saint-Germain loanee Giovani Lo Celso permanently—cost was €25m and he’ll have a €100m release clause with PSG getting 20% or so of any sale. He has 15 goals (8 league, 2 cup, 5 EL).

For comparison, Toko Ekambi has 16 (8 league, 5 cup, 3 EL), Bacca 10 (5, 3 and 2) and Gerard 10 (5, 1 and 4). Just in case you were wondering.