The Matchday 26 clash in La Liga between Villarreal and Espanyol will take place on March 3 at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Villarreal vs. Espanyol: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Villarreal
The Valencian side continues to hold onto fifth place in the table, trailing the top four by four points. The team has managed to maintain such a high position thanks to an unbeaten run in their last six La Liga matches, securing four wins and two draws. Notably, in their previous league match, the club defeated Rayo Vallecano away with a score of 1-0.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 8 of Villarreal's last 11 La Liga games.
- Both teams scored in 7 of the last 10 matches involving the Valencians in the league.
- The club has not conceded in the first half in their last seven La Liga encounters.
Predicted lineup for Villarreal (4-4-2)
Diego Conde – Sergi Cardona, Logan Costa, Willy Kambwala, Juan Foyth – Yeremy Pino, Santi Comesaña, Alex Baena, Pape Gueye – Ayoze Perez, Thierno Barry.
Midfielder Ilias Akhomach and forward Gerard Moreno will miss the match due to injuries.
Espanyol
The Catalan side successfully navigated their last two La Liga matches. First, they drew 1-1 at home against Athletic, followed by a 1-0 victory away at Alaves. Additionally, in their last seven league outings, Manolo Gonzalez's side has suffered only one defeat (3 wins and 3 draws). This positive run has lifted the club to 15th place, three points clear of the relegation zone.
- No more than two goals have been scored in 9 of Espanyol's last 11 La Liga matches.
- The club has not conceded more than one goal in 10 of their last 11 league games.
- The Catalans have won only once in the first half of their last 14 away matches in La Liga (7 draws and 6 losses).
Predicted lineup for Espanyol (4-4-2)
Joan Garcia – Omar El Hilali, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero, Marash Kumbulla – Jofre Carreras, Urko Gonzalez, Alex Kral, Pol Lozano – Javi Puado, Roberto Fernandez Jaen.
Referee
Jose Luis Munuera Montero (Spain)
Matches – 12 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 61;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.1;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 42%.
Villarreal vs. Espanyol: Match Prediction
Both opponents are in good form and have improved their standings. However, the Valencians are expected to claim all three points, as they are much higher in the table and have suffered only five defeats in La Liga 2024/25 (compared to Espanyol's 12). Additionally, playing at home will be crucial for Villarreal, who have only lost to Betis and Barcelona in their last 15 La Liga home games (7 wins and 6 draws).
Meanwhile, before defeating Alaves, Espanyol had not won away in La Liga for 12 matches (3 draws and 9 losses). Furthermore, the team has not scored more than one goal in 12 consecutive away league games. Moreover, Villarreal has defeated this opponent in their last four league meetings. Therefore, I favor the prediction: Villarreal with a handicap (-1)
