LaLiga – Match-day 14 Sees Espanyol take on Villarreal

Espanyol at home against Villarreal – Wednesday – 8:00pm GMT – Rcde Stadium.

Ninth placed Villarreal will travel to Rcde Stadium, hopeful of rampage, as they face sixteenth placed Espanyol.

This season’s LaLiga campaign, has so far seen Espanyol achieve 12 points

Espanyol have dropped four points in their last two games – 1-1 at Atletico Madrid and 1-1 at Mallorca.

Also, with three draws in three meetings, Espanyol need to develop a strategy for getting over the line in games. With a sixteenth position in the league and 2 wins, 5 losses and 6 draws, they currently have 12 points in the League having won two games, drawn six fixtures, and lost five games.

Playing at home, Espanyol have won one game, drawn two fixtures, and lost three matches.

A win in this fixture would take Espanyol’s points to 15 in the League.

Espanyol’s squad will likely be depleted of three of their key players when they start on Wednesday, due to injury or illness.

Villarreal have 18 points to their name, going into this tie

Villarreal suffered a home loss to Mallorca in their last outing, they will doubtless be keen get a positive outcome in this fixture.

Also, Quique Setien knows that a run of four losses in six meetings for his Villarreal side, is going to be a tough run of form to change. However that is exactly what he must try to deliver. Now they have 5 matches won, 5 games lost and 3 duels drawn; that’s why they currently sit in ninth place, with a total of 18 points having won five games, drawn three matches, and lost five meetings.

It must be a worrying prospect for Villarreal to go back on the road, with a bud run of away performances under their belt this season. So far they have only secured two victories, two darts, and four defeats to the home team.

Winning this fixture will see Villarreal on 21 points.

A solid defensive team

Villarreal have a good defensive record, having only conceded 10 goals in their previous fixtures. The number of goals that a team scores can sometimes give a misleading impression of performance. Villarreal have found the net 14 times (13 from open play and one penalty), but their performance at times this season has been average. Their stand out attacking players have been Alex Baena (4), Gerard Moreno (2), and Arnaut Danjuma (2).

Going into Wednesday’s game, Quique Setien without three of his players, due to illness or injury.

Espanyol v Villarreal – Head-to-Head.

Regarding their historical duels the balance of wins from previous 44 games between these two is in favour of Villarreal, with 15 victories and 21 draws. In addition, in five of the last eight fixtures between these sides, the result has been a draw. The last time they played each other in this competition was February 2022, when Budgerigars walked away as 5-1 winners.

Other players of note for Espanyol are Mato Joselu and Martin Braithwaite with seven goals each and for Villarreal are Alex Baena and Gerard Moreno with four goals both.