/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballwhispers.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F10%2FVillarreal-GSI.jpg)
La Liga action resumes on Friday night with an encounter between Villarreal and Espanyol at Estadio de la Ceramica.
The visitors are going through a rough patch and will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat.
Villarreal, in contrast, are eyeing a third consecutive victory.
Read our Villarreal vs Espanyol prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Villarreal vs Espanyol key stats
- Six of the last eight H2Hs have featured at least 11 corners.
- Espanyol's last 10 matches across all competitions have all produced at least five cards.
- Both teams were on the scoresheet in five of the visiting team's last six games.
Villarreal vs Espanyol preview: Villarreal's dominance to continue?
Villarreal vs Espanyol — Tale of the Tape
| Villarreal | vs | Espanyol |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | Position | 18th |
| 12 | Points | 8 |
| 15 | Goals For | 12 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 14 |
| 1 | Clean Sheets | 2 |
| 16th | Home / Away Rank | 11th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Villarreal kicked off their Copa del Rey campaign with a comfortable 5-0 victory over amateur side Manacor on Tuesday. Including their 2-1 comeback win at local rivals Valencia last weekend, they have now won back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Inigo Perez's troops have improved their fortunes over the course of the season, especially at Estadio de Ceramica. They had lost their first two matches at this stadium but have been unbeaten in three home games since (W2, D1).
Ahead of this clash, the hosts are 10th in La Liga with a 3-3-4 win-draw-loss record after 10 league outings. They will be without the injured Nathan Saliba and Carlos Romero, as well as the suspended Pape Gueye; Ilias Akhomach is also nursing a fresh muscular injury and faces a late fitness test to confirm his availability.
On the other hand, Espanyol are coming off their worst defeat of the season, as they were beaten by fourth-tier minnows Sestao River in the first round of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.
With that in mind, the Catalan outfit have now lost three matches in a row and are without a win in their last six games across all competitions (D1, L5).
Following their disappointing run of results, the visiting team have dismissed Manolo Gonzalez and appointed reserve team manager Sergio Garcia on a temporary basis. The 43-year-old former striker made over 230 appearances and scored 50 goals for the club during his playing career.
Espanyol are in the relegation zone in 18th place, having earned only eight points from 10 La Liga fixtures. On the positive side, they have no major injury concerns or suspended players ahead of this skirmish.
It is safe to say that Espanyol do not particularly look forward to meeting Villarreal, as they have lost seven consecutive encounters between these teams and have no wins in the last eight H2Hs.
Villarreal vs Espanyol form guide & betting tips
| Villarreal | vs | Espanyol |
|---|---|---|
W
W
L
D
W
|
La Liga Form |
L
L
D
L
L
|
| 10 | Points | 1 |
| 5th | Form Table | 20th |
| 8 | Goals For | 4 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 9 |
W
D
L
W
W
|
Form (All Comps) |
L
D
L
L
L
|
Whispers Predicts: Villarreal 3-1 Espanyol
Priced at 9/20 (1.45), Villarreal are considered favourites by the bookmakers.
Espanyol have lost five of their last six matches, and having also lost seven consecutive meetings between these sides, we are confident that Villarreal will come out on top after 90 minutes.
At least five cards were awarded in each of the visiting team's last 10 outings, and this can be backed at 21/20 (2.05).
We also fancy over 10.5 total corners at 11/10 (2.10), as was the case in six of the last eight H2Hs.
> Over 4.5 total cards at 21/20 (2.05) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 7/10 (1.70) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Villarreal at 9/20 (1.45) | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 10.5 total corners at 11/10 (2.10) | Likelihood: Probable
> Correct Score: 3-1 at 10/1 (11.00) | Likelihood: Outsider