CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW - TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS VILLARREAL

Champions League

2025-09-16 - Tottenham Hotspur vs Villarreal

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Tottenham Hotspur v Villarreal
Football: UEFA Champions League
Tuesday 16th September 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

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Tottenham Hotspur

Thomas Frank has taken over as manager of the current Europa League Champions and it is the players that will have the superior European experiences. However, you have to believe the Tottenham Hotspur squad will already be buying into the Frank methods after a solid start to the campaign domestically.

In what was a miserable Premier League campaign, Tottenham Hotspur showed their best form and resiliency when the Europa League anthem played last season. Playing in the Champions League represents another step upwards in level of opponent, but Thomas Frank's team will be expected to make the Knock Out Rounds at the very least. Home form proved to be important for Spurs who won 5 of their 7 games here in the Europa League, while drawing the others.

Tottenham Hotspur will have enjoyed the 0-3 win at West Ham United on Saturday and they have won 3 of the 5 games played in all competitions under the new manager. The side opened the Premier League season with a 3-0 win over Burnley, but Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 0-1 by Bournemouth in the last fixture here.

Mathys Tel has surprisingly been left out of the Champions League squad and so will need to be replaced having started at the London Stadium. Thomas Frank looks to have a few options to freshen his team up with the likes of Destiny Udogie, Richarlison and Brennan Johnson hoping for starts. Dominic Solanke continues to miss time to open this campaign.

Villarreal

They finished the last Spanish season in 5th place in the standings due to the inferior head to head with Athletic Bilbao, but the European representatives played well enough to open up another position in the Champions League. It is Villarreal who have benefited and they have made a decent opening to this season ahead of the Champions League kick off.

The debut season in the Champions League back in 2005/06 saw Villarreal miss a last minute Penalty that would have taken them into the Final. Recent times have seen Villarreal win the Europa League in 2021 and reach the Champions League Semi Final the following season, but back to back Last 16 Europa League exits in 2023 and 2024 were followed by missing out on European Football altogether last season.

Villarreal had been unbeaten in 9 games in all competitions and had won 7 in a row before the draw with Celta Vigo and loss to Atletico Madrid. The side did end last season with 4 wins in 5 away games, including upsetting Barcelona 2-3, but those results against Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid have both been on the early Villarreal travels.

Manor Soloman is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, but can play. Gerard Moreno is a doubt, while the likes of Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe can expect 'warm' welcomes.

Head to Head

This is the first competitive fixture between these clubs.

Prediction

Both Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal may have similar domestic ambitions of finishing high enough in the standings to return to the Champions League next season and both can point to decent starts to the campaign.

The Champions League ambitions could also be similar with the clubs expected to earn at least a Play Off spot after the League Phase is concluded.

With that in mind, both Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal will be looking for a strong start in the format of the League Phase and both may come into this fixture with some confidence.

However, it is Tottenham Hotspur who returned from the international break with a victory and you have to believe home advantage will give them the edge. Winning the Europa League should mean the players are performing with some confidence against an opponent that failed to earn a European spot last season, and hosting only adds to the factors in favour of Tottenham Hotspur.

The quality choices for Thomas Frank in forward areas gives Spurs another edge and they should have enough to beat a Villarreal team that still deserves respect.

Villarreal have played well in away games at Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid without perhaps picking up all they deserve. Players like Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe will be inspired as former Arsenal performers, but the Spanish top flight club may still ultimately come up short.

The reality is that Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a Champions League fixture list that gives them every chance of finishing in the top eight and they can make a positive start to the campaign with a home victory on Tuesday.

The Pick :

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Villarreal

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Tottenham Hotspur to Win at 1.85 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)