The Matchday 12 clash in La Liga between Espanyol and Villarreal will take place on November 8 at the Cornella-El Prat Stadium in Barcelona. Espanyol vs. Villarreal: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Espanyol
In the previous La Liga round, the Catalans suffered a defeat against Alaves, ending a short two-match winning streak in the Spanish championship. Overall, Espanyol has failed to win 5 of their last 7 La Liga matches (2 draws, 3 losses), yet despite the slump, the team remains in the European competition zone. Notably, Manolo Gonzalez's side has scored in four consecutive La Liga matches. At home, Espanyol has scored at least one goal in seven straight league games, suffering only one defeat with five wins in those seven encounters.
- The team has conceded in 13 of their last 18 La Liga matches.
- Espanyol has won with a (+1.5) handicap in six consecutive league matches.
- The Catalans have not conceded more than one goal in 14 of their last 19 home La Liga matches.
Predicted lineup for Espanyol (4-2-3-1)
Marko Dmitrovic – Clemens Riedel, Leandro Cabrera, Ruben Sanchez, Carlos Romero – Edu Exposito, Pol Lozano – Jofre Carreras, Pere Milla, Antonio Roca – Kike Garcia.
Team captain Javi Puado is unavailable due to injury.
Villarreal
Marcelino Garcia's side deservedly holds a spot in the top three. After 11 La Liga rounds, Villarreal has suffered only two defeats and claimed seven wins. Last weekend, the club thrashed Rayo Vallecano, extending their unbeaten run in the league to three matches (2 wins, 1 draw). The Valencians are still far from Real Madrid, but they remain just two points behind Barcelona. It's important to note that Villarreal is among the most reliable teams in La Liga, sharing the top spot for the fewest goals conceded (10 goals).
- Villarreal has scored at least two goals in five of their last seven La Liga matches.
- The team's scoring streak in the league lasts seven matches.
- In the current La Liga season, the club has scored a total of 22 goals, with only Real Madrid (26) and Barcelona (28) performing better in this regard.
Predicted lineup for Villarreal (4-4-2)
Luiz Junior – Santiago Mourino, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga, Alfonso Pedraza – Nicolas Pepe, Thomas Partey, Santi Comesana, Alberto Moleiro – Gerard Moreno, Georges Mikautadze.
Defenders Logan Costa, Willy Kambwala, and forward Pau Cabanes are recovering from injuries.
Referee
Alejandro Hernandez (Spain)
Matches – 6 (La Liga, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 26;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.3;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 21;
Penalties – 50%.
Espanyol vs. Villarreal: Match Prediction
Espanyol has yet to regain the form they showed at the start of the season. After winning three of their first four La Liga matches, Manolo Gonzalez's side has only won two of their subsequent seven matches in the tournament (2 draws, 3 losses). The statistics could worsen as Espanyol faces a challenging opponent. Espanyol has not won in their last six meetings with Villarreal in La Liga, with the last five games ending in defeat.
Villarreal remains in the top three of the championship, and deservedly so. Since the start of the season, the club has lost only two of their 11 La Liga matches, winning nearly two-thirds of these games. Overall, Marcelino Garcia's side has not lost in 15 of their last 17 La Liga matches (13 wins, 2 draws). It's worth noting that Villarreal tends to be less comfortable away from home, but they have secured at least one point in five of their last seven away league games.
Prediction – Villarreal to win or draw
