Villarreal vs Espanyol - prediction, team news, lineups

By Matt Law | 28 Oct 2026 09:24, Last updated: 28 Oct 2026 09:28

Villarreal volition beryllium aiming to marque it 3 consecutive wins successful each competitions erstwhile they invited Espanyol to Estadio de la Ceramica connected Friday night.

The Yellow Submarine are presently 10th successful the La Liga table, picking up 12 points from their opening 10 matches of the season, portion Espanyol are 18th successful the part connected 8 points.

Match preview

Villarreal boast a grounds of 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats from their opening 10 league matches of the season, with 12 points leaving them successful 10th, 5 points down sixth-placed Sevilla up of the adjacent acceptable of fixtures successful Spain's apical flight.

The Yellow Submarine suffered a 4-3 decision to Liverpool successful the Champions League connected October 20, but they person since posted back-to-back home wins.

Inigo Perez's broadside recorded a 2-1 triumph implicit Valencia successful La Liga past weekend, earlier posting a 5-0 triumph implicit Manacor successful the Copa del Rey connected Tuesday night.

Villarreal finished 3rd successful Spain's apical formation past season, but it volition beryllium hard for them to repetition that this term, with Atletico Madrid and Real Betis some looking beardown aboriginal successful the campaign.

The Yellow Submarine person been victorious successful each of their past 7 matches against Espanyol - each of which person been successful La Liga - portion they are unbeaten against the Catalan outfit since a 2-1 location nonaccomplishment successful January 2020.

Espanyol person lone been victorious successful 12 of their erstwhile 56 matches against Villarreal successful each competitions, and the visitors volition surely participate this crippled arsenic the underdogs.

Incredibly, Espanyol were knocked retired successful the archetypal circular of the Copa del Rey by fourth-tier outfit Sestao connected Tuesday, with the Catalan squad suffering a 4-3 loss, and that effect led to the dismissal of Manolo Gonzalez arsenic caput coach.

The White and Blues are truthful looking for a caller manager, and determination is nary getting distant from the information that it has been a pugnacious run to date, with 8 points from 10 matches leaving them down successful 18th presumption successful the La Liga table.

Espanyol person mislaid 5 of their past six matches successful each competitions, with their past triumph coming distant to Osasuna connected September 12.

It is understood that Julen Lopetegui is an enactment to go the team's caller caput coach, but the 60-year-old has a declaration with Qatar until February 2027.

Villarreal La Liga form:

Villarreal signifier (all competitions):

Espanyol La Liga form:

Espanyol signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Villarreal volition beryllium without the services of Pape Gueye done suspension, with the midfielder sent disconnected successful the team's past La Liga fixture with Valencia.

Carlos Romero and Nathan Saliba are some expected to miss retired done injury, portion Ilias Akhomach faces a precocious fittingness test, having been forced disconnected against Valencia.

Georges Mikautadze is Villarreal's starring goalscorer this play with five, and determination is acceptable to beryllium a spot successful the last 3rd of the tract for the 25-year-old.

As for Espanyol, Kike Garcia and Jofre volition miss the lucifer done injury, but the Catalan outfit are different successful beardown signifier for the league fixture.

There volition beryllium changes to the broadside that started successful the Copa del Rey, with Roberto Fernandez acceptable to diagnostic done the middle; the 24-year-old has scored six league goals this season.

Bryan Zaragoza and Exposito are besides among those acceptable to beryllium introduced backmost into the team.

Villarreal imaginable starting lineup:

Gulacsi; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Freeman; Moleiro, Macia, Comesana, Buchanan; Mikautadze, Perez

Espanyol imaginable starting lineup:

Fortuno; El Hilali, Drkusic, Cabrera, Hartman; Exposito, Lozano; Hernandez, Calatrava, Zaragoza; Fernandez

We say: Villarreal 2-0 Espanyol

Villarreal person posted back-to-back wins, and we are expecting the Yellow Submarine to beryllium excessively beardown for their struggling opponents connected Friday.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.