Espanyol are surprising everyone this season, sitting sixth in the table and just one point behind Real Betis, while Villarreal could increase the pressure on leaders Barcelona from third place. On Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Espanyol welcomes Villarreal to the RCDE Stadium, with the hosts looking to break a disastrous run of form in recent years: five consecutive defeats, all decided by goals conceded in the second half. The last meeting in April ended in a narrow 1-0 win for Villarreal. The visitors arrive on the back of an impressive 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, with Mikautadze, Moleiro, Comesaña, and Ayoze all on the scoresheet, but suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Pafos in the Champions League during the week. Manor Solomon will be out for several weeks at Villarreal. With strong offensive options and current confidence, the visitors are slight favorites, but Espanyol can make it a close game with home advantage and a compact defense.
- Venue: RCDE Stadium, Cornella de Llobregat
- Date and time: 08.11.2025, 21:00
- Competition: La Liga (matchday 12)
The statistics strongly support the over 2.5 goals thesis: both teams show consistent offensive performance, with 80% of Villarreal’s and 80% of Espanyol’s games featuring over 1.5 goals. The combined average of around 3.2 goals per game makes more than 2.5 goals plausible. Villarreal’s recent 4-0 win highlights the goal threat posed by players such as Gerard Moreno, Alberto Moleiro, and Nicolas Pepe. Both teams scoring also seems well-founded: Espanyol has scored in every game this season, an impressive 100%, while Villarreal has been successful in 80% of its games. The recent defensive problems of both teams reinforce this thesis, with Espanyol conceding two goals in Alavés and Villarreal losing to Pafos in Cyprus. The double chance of a draw or away win takes into account Villarreal’s form and position in the table. Under Marcelino, the team appears tactically versatile with high striking power, while Espanyol has recently suffered narrow defeats and has yet to secure a draw. Of course, there are still risks: home advantage, injuries, and short-term changes in form can thwart any prediction.
Espanyol Form & Record Check
Espanyol, as a promoted team, is surprisingly strong in sixth place in the table with 18 points, just one point behind Real Betis and just ahead of Getafe. However, they lost their most recent match in Vitoria 1-2 to Alavés: Suárez gave Espanyol an early lead, but they conceded two goals in the first half. Rubén Sánchez Fernández pulled one back after the break, but Espanyol were unable to equalize. Prior to this defeat, Espanyol had impressed with wins against Oviedo (0-2) and Elche (1-0). It is worth noting that the team has scored in each of its last five games, with the decisive goal coming in the second half in four of those matches. There have been no draws during this run, only wins or defeats. Coach Manolo González has a full squad to choose from. The emotional strain caused by the heart attack suffered by sporting director Fran Garagarza has now subsided somewhat. In sporting terms, the team needs to rediscover its aggressive, combative style of play and quickly put the defeat in Vitoria behind it.
Coach Manolo González is likely to start with a 4-4-2 formation again. Expected lineup: Dmitrovic in goal; defense with Sánchez, Riedel, Cabrera, and Romero; midfield with Carreras on the right, Roca on the left, Lozano and Expósito in the center; Milla and García as the two strikers. The continued absence of captain Javi Puado remains a significant loss. Puado has established himself as an important creative and leading player this season, and his absence could noticeably reduce the team’s attacking power and playmaking ability. The bench offers useful options for different scenarios: Dolan and Koleosho can provide fresh impetus in attack with their pace, dribbling, and goal-scoring threat, while Pickel and Terrats offer additional stability and control in midfield. Depending on how the game progresses, classic wing changes or a switch to a more compact midfield structure are conceivable. The basic lineup is balanced and defensively solid in order to counter Villarreal tactically. The decisive factor will be how well the team compensates for Puado’s creative contribution and whether the substitutes can provide decisive momentum in the course of the game.
Villarreal form & record check
Villarreal sits in third place in the table with 23 points, just two points behind Barcelona, while Atletico Madrid lurks one point behind. In the league, Marcelino’s team has been strong offensively with three wins in its last five competitive games, but also two defeats. The 4-0 win against Rayo Vallecano was particularly impressive: Gerard Moreno, Moleiro, Comesaña, and Ayoze Pérez all scored, underlining the team’s offensive power. This was preceded by a 2-0 win against Valencia and an impressive 6-0 win against Ciudad de Lucena in the cup. Four of the last five games have had more than 1.5 goals. In the Champions League, however, things are going miserably: after a 2-0 home defeat to Manchester City, there was a surprising 1-0 defeat to Cypriot outsiders Pafos. The decisive goal came after a controversial corner, in which a possible obstruction by goalkeeper Luiz Júnior went unpunished. Despite chances in the closing stages, Villarreal remained goalless and are now under pressure internationally. Marcelino is still without Logan Costa and Willy Kambwala due to injury. Luiz Júnior has been a positive influence in the league: in 7 appearances, 57% of games have ended without conceding a goal.
Marcelino is expected to start with a 4-4-2 formation, with Luiz Júnior in goal, who has a very good clean sheet record. Veiga and Mouriño will form the central defense, with Foyth at right back and Cardona at left back. Parejo and Gueye will play in central midfield, with Pépé and Moleiro on the wings. Mikautadze and Gerard Moreno will start up front, with Ayoze, Oluwaseyi, and Solomon as backup options on the bench. Injuries to Logan Costa and Willy Kambwala significantly limit the defensive rotation. Marcelino has rotated between Luiz Júnior and Arnau Tenas, but currently seems to be relying on Luiz Júnior for important games.
Espanyol – Villarreal Head-to-head & statistics
From a Catalan perspective, the head-to-head record between Espanyol and Villarreal reads like a nightmare: five defeats in the last five meetings, most recently a 0-1 loss in April 2025. The away game at the RCDE Stadium in September 2024 also ended in a 1-2 defeat for Villarreal. What is remarkable is the recurring pattern of the games: Espanyol lost all five matches in the second half. In each of these encounters, at least one goal was conceded after the break, while Villarreal scored without exception after the interval, a clear indication of the visitors’ physical or mental superiority in the closing stages. The most painful defeat came in February 2022 with a 5-1 loss, followed by a 4-2 defeat in April 2023. Espanyol has been waiting for a point against Villarreal since February 2022, a negative streak of almost four years. Statistically, everything currently speaks in Villarreal’s favor, especially their consistency in being successful after halftime. For Espanyol and coach Manolo González, this defensive lack of concentration after the break is a clear area for improvement that must be addressed in order to finally break the streak.
