Malaga vs Villarreal prediction 17.09.2026 | La Liga

Malaga waited eight years to return to La Liga. After a tough season in the second tier of Spanish football, Juan Funes' team is determined to avoid relegation. However, Malaga are probably the weakest team in the top flight and will have a stressful 2026/27 campaign. In the first five La Liga rounds, they had three draws and two defeats. In the previous game, Malaga played 1-1 on the road against Celta Vigo. The hosts finished with an xG of 1.90, while the visitors had only 0.42, but Malaga defended bravely and eventually went home with a valuable point.

Malaga's head coach, Juan Funes, was satisfied after a draw in Vigo. He commented, "Up until our goal, I had the feeling that we were doing a good job and making a huge effort. The players did a lot of things well. Even so, we were losing because we gave them the opportunity to hit us on the counter. I kept thinking: how much more do we have to do if even all of this isn't enough to get three points, or even a draw?"

Malaga have big problems with missing players. They will be without Adam Aznou, Fernando Calero, Moussa Diarra, Carlos Dotor, Julen Lobete, Diego Murillo, Aaron Ochoa, and Alex Pastor on Thursday night.

Villarreal are terrible this season. After an excellent last campaign and third place in La Liga, the team from La Cerámica opened the year with only two points in five league matches. Villarreal are on a four-game losing streak across all competitions and urgently need a strong performance. In the previous game, Inigo Perez's team lost 2-1 at home against Betis. The hosts played well in the first 30 minutes and took the lead, but since then, the visitors have had complete control and left Villarreal empty-handed.

Villarreal were terrible in the second half against Betis, and head coach Inigo Perez made that clear. He commented, "The second half was damaging for the team and for me as a coach. It affects our confidence and self-belief. Recovering from defeat is never easy, but it's even harder when you come away with these feelings. Nevertheless, we have no option but to move forward."

Juan Foyth is injured and should be the only one unavailable for the trip to Malaga.