La Liga
Villarreal - Espanyol
02/09/2026, 08:00 PM
Expected Goals
1.6
2.9
1.3
Model Probabilities
Match Result
Home Win
48%
Draw
28%
Away Win
24%
Goals
Over 1.5
82%
Over 2.5
65%
Over 3.5
38%
Double Chance
Home or Draw
76%
Away or Draw
52%
No Draw
72%
Both Score
Yes
52%
No
48%
Key Factors
- Espanyol's missing firepower: Only 69% goal threat available without Carlos Romero
- Villarreal home advantage: 1.92 goals per home game vs just 0.75 conceded
- H2H dominance: Villarreal won all last 5 meetings with 10:3 goals
Risk Factors
- Both teams in extreme form crisis without win in 5 games
- Espanyol's weakened attack due to Carlos Romero's absence
Overview
Villarreal (4th place, 42 points) host Espanyol (6th place, 34 points) at Estadio de la Cerámica
La Liga match on February 9, 2026, 9:00 PM
Direct battle for European places with the visitors trailing by eight points
Form
Both teams are in crisis form
Villarreal: LLLLD - 0 wins, 1 draw, 4 losses in last 5 games
Espanyol: LDLLL - 0 wins, 1 draw, 4 losses in last 5 games
Neither team has won any of their last five matches
Statistics
Villarreal shows strong home attack with 1.92 goals per game
Home defense very solid with just 0.75 goals conceded
Espanyol scores 1.20 goals away and concedes 1.10
Stadium average: 3.2 goals per game, 60% BTTS rate
Head-to-Head
Clear dominance for Villarreal
5 direct encounters: 5 wins for Villarreal, 0 for Espanyol
Goals: 10:3 in favor of the Yellow Submarine
Last meeting ended 2:0 for Villarreal on November 8, 2025
Key Players
Alberto Moleiro leads Villarreal's attack with 8 season goals and 3 assists
Gerard Moreno scored twice against Osasuna despite poor recent form
Georges Mikautadze hasn't scored in 5 games
Pere Milla is Espanyol's top scorer with 6 season goals
Roberto Fernández scored in the last game against Alavés
Goalkeepers
Luiz Júnior kept goal 18 times for Villarreal
Manuel Iori stood between the posts 22 times for Espanyol
Both teams kept 7 clean sheets each
Influences
Villarreal uses home advantage with 1.92 goals at home vs 1.78 away
Stadium character suggests goals: 3.2 per game average
Grass surface record: Villarreal 2-1-7, Espanyol 5-1-4
9-10 days rest since last match for both teams