Villarreal vs Espanyol prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-04-26 17:30.
A pair of La Liga (LL) defeats in eight days, both via a 2-1 scoreline in which they trailed âto nilâ at half-time, have probably ended Villarrealâs outside chances of qualifying for next seasonâs UEFA Champions League. Theyâre still looking good for European football of some sort, but getting back to winning ways against relegation-threatened Espanyol would help firm up their top-six credentials.
Theyâll start as favourites but even winning this meeting here 5-1 last term wonât guarantee anything as that was their first home H2H success since March 2017 (D3, L1). They should be far more encouraged by how well theyâve performed against sides fighting relegation though, as this term theyâve won all four matches here against teams that start the round in the bottom-five.
That sounds particularly ominous for struggling Espanyol, whose 0-0 draw against CĂĄdiz on Friday, coupled with other results, left them two points behind their nearest competitors although it did at least break a sequence of six consecutive LL defeats. Ahead of a difficult run-in, including taking on Barcelona and AtlĂ©tico Madrid, the quicker new boss Luis GarcĂa gets his first win under his belt the better (D1, L2).
The chances of it coming here seem remote as theyâve lost their last four LL away games and their last two league victories on the road came against fellow strugglers Getafe and Elche. They do remain a threat, as theyâve scored in each of their last ten LL games away from home (W2, D3, L5), doing so exactly once in each of the last six of those (W1, L5).
Players to watch: Villarrealâs Yeremy Pino scored four goals in this H2H last term, although thatâs one more than heâs managed in the league in the whole of this season! Martin Braithwaite has scored two of Espanyolâs last four LL away goals, both after the 70th minute.
Hot stat: Espanyol possess LLâs worst first-half record this term (W1, D14, L15).