Villarreal - Espanyol. 6th place hosts 19th place. The ball is round - get a full preview here!
- Villarreal have the most points from losing position (14) in La Liga
- Espanyol have the fewest scored goals in the first half (8) in La Liga
The hosts Villarreal saw competitive action as recent as four days ago, playing in the La Liga. At least it's nice to return home after that away game at Sevilla.
Villarreal form and stats
Villarreal have played 14 La Liga games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 8-2-4 (wins-draws-losses).
Villarreal are hoping to put things right at home after a defeat in their previous match, the score 1-2 away versus Sevilla. The defeat against Sevilla was especially painful as the deciding goal against was scored four minutes into stoppage time (by En-Nesyri). Celso, a forward, was the highest rated performer for the team in that fixture, collecting a rating of 8.2 (out of 10). Celso hit three key passes, dribled past the opponent 2 of 2 times and had 35 successful passes (of 41 total).
Preceding that match was a defeat to Real Valladolid (1-2).The betting market estimate that the home team has about 55-60% chance of winning this match. There could be betting value if you think differently, so to help you here are the stats from Villarreal's earlier matches at home being 55%-60% favourite: Played 9 games, won 5 matches, drawn 2 and lost 2.
The match schedule is unforgiving for Villarreal as they have a new game in only three days, a La Liga match thankfully also at home. Celta de Vigo are visiting.
Villarreal has scored 20 league goals at home this season, in 14 matches. Villarreal are not conceding a lot of goals here at Estadio de la Cerámica in the league, averaging less than one per game. The total is 12 from 14 matches.
Espanyol form and stats
Espanyol have only collected 14 points from their away games in the La Liga, after 3-5-7 (15 played). A depressing four defeats in a row for Espanyol in their away games. Unhappy days, as the last time they avoided a loss on the road was versus Elche.
Espanyol delivered a 0-0 draw playing at home against Cadiz (placed 15th) in their previous fixture. Montes, who plays in defense, got the "man of the match" on his team with the rating 7.41. Montes won 10 of 19 duels.
Prior to that match, the Espanyol manager Fernández faced defeat when travelling to Real Betis and losing 1-3.Goal hungry football fans should note that 8 of this side's 10 most recent league games have ended with three goals or more.
After this away game Espanyol return home for a La Liga game against Getafe. That game is only three sleeps after this.
Espanyol have scored 17 goals on their travels this season, from 15 away games in the league. As for defending, Espanyol rarely keep clean sheets as they have conceded 24 goals from these away matches.
Head 2 Head
Espanyol - Villarreal 0-1 was the output when these two participants formerly met, earlier this season. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: three - four - three (Villarreal wins - draws - Espanyol wins). As for goals, six matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), four had two or less.
Top Goalscorers
  J. Sanmartín Mato 12 goals |  M. Braithwait 10 goals |   J. Morales Nogales 7 goals |
Villarreal missing players
Espanyol missing players
| Villarreal | Espanyol | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 30 | 14 | 5 | Played | P | 5 | 15 | 30 |
| 14 | 8 | 4 | Won | W | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 11 | 4 | 1 | Lost | L | 3 | 7 | 14 |
| 39 | 20 | 11 | Scored | S | 5 | 17 | 35 |
| 30 | 12 | 5 | Conceded | C | 10 | 24 | 49 |
| 93% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 97% |
| 70% | 79% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 80% | 77% |
| 43% | 43% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| 13% | 7% | 20% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 40% | 33% | 40% |
| 7% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 7% |
| 40% | 50% | 80% | BTTS | BTTS | 100% | 80% | 73% |
| 37% | 29% | 20% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 13% | 17% |
| 30% | 21% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 7% | 13% |
| 5.3 | 5.7 | 7 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.6 |
| 4.9 | 3.6 | 4 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.4 | 6.4 | 5.1 |
| 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.4 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 13.1 | 15 | 15.6 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 9 | 9.1 | 10.6 |
| 4.9 | 5.6 | 7.2 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.6 | 3 | 3.3 |
| 27% | 25% | 31% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 38% | 38% | 35% |
| 12.6 | 10.8 | 11.2 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 18.4 | 15.5 | 13.7 |
| 4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 7.2 | 5.2 | 4.8 |
- Espanyol have the fewest matches under the total-line (12) in La Liga
- Espanyol have the fewest scored goals in the first half (8) in La Liga
- Espanyol have the most matches over the total-line (18) in La Liga
- Espanyol have won significantly less corners away then at home.
- Espanyol haven’t played a single 0-0 game away.
- Villarreal have the most points from losing position (14) in La Liga
- Villarreal haven’t played a single 0-0 game at home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Barcelona | 30 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 54 | 9 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 7 | 45 | 76 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 30 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 63 | 24 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 12 | 39 | 65 |
| 3 | Atletico Madrid | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 47 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 25 | 60 |
| 4 | Real Sociedad | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 39 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 54 |
| 5 | Real Betis | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 39 | 33 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 48 |
| 6 | Villarreal | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 39 | 30 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 47 |
| 7 | Athletic Club | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 42 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 19 | 12 | 46 |
| 8 | Osasuna | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 28 | 32 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 41 |
| 9 | Mallorca | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 29 | 31 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 20 | -2 | 40 |
| 10 | Rayo Vallecano | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 36 | 36 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 0 | 40 |
| 11 | Girona | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 43 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 24 | 1 | 38 |
| 12 | Sevilla | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 37 | 45 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 26 | -8 | 38 |
| 13 | Celta de Vigo | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 36 | 42 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 25 | -6 | 36 |
| 14 | Real Valladolid | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 48 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 32 | -22 | 35 |
| 15 | Cadiz | 30 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 42 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | -19 | 32 |
| 16 | Getafe | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 28 | 39 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 23 | -11 | 31 |
| 17 | Almeria | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 36 | 52 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 31 | -16 | 30 |
| 18 | Valencia | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 32 | 36 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 21 | -4 | 30 |
| 19 | Espanyol | 30 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 35 | 49 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 24 | -14 | 28 |
| 20 | Elche | 30 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 20 | 61 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 27 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 34 | -41 | 13 |
