Espanyol host Villarreal in the Spanish top-flight this weekend, with the visitors looking to return to winning ways as they hunt a return to the top four in the standings. However, with the hosts searching for a third consecutive match without defeat, it promises to be a close encounter at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona.
Spanish La Liga – Espanyol v Villarreal – RCDE Stadium, Barcelona – Sunday 18th February – 17:30 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 21/10 at Ladbrokes |
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Espanyol
VillarealMatch Preview
Espanyol host Villarreal on Sunday evening hoping to earn a first win in five matches in La Liga, with the hosts not completely out of the running for relegation come the end of the season. Meanwhile, Villarreal have dropped out of the top four over recent weeks, with the visitors looking to end a run of two successive defeats. For those interested in placing a bet on the match, be sure to check out our top tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with Espanyol.
Espanyol Team News & Form
Espanyol battled to a 2-2 draw away at Celta Vigo over the weekend, however manager Quique Sánchez Flores has now seen his side go five La Liga matches without a win. Such a record means that the home side remain 15th in the standings, just eight points above the relegation zone. The likes of Sergio Garcia, Leo Baptista and Gerard Moreno are among the biggest threats for the hosts, who have scored just 21 goals from their 23 matches so far this season. A lack of goals has certainly been one of their biggest downfalls, however Moreno does have 10 goals to his name.
Villarreal Team News & Form
Villarreal suffered a surprise home defeat to Alaves over the weekend, the third defeat in a row for Javier Calleja’s men. The hosts are now five points behind rivals Real Madrid in the standings, with a place in next season’s Champions League now looking more and more unlikely. The visitors have scored just 34 goals in La Liga to date, with the emphasis now on Carlos Bacca following the departure of Cedric Bakambu.
Head to Head
The two teams have 26 times in the past, with Villarreal having won on 11 of such matches, whilst drawing twelve times in the process. However, Espanyol held Villarreal to a goalless draw earlier in the campaign, offering this weekend’s hosts confidence of causing an upset.
Espanyol v Villarreal – Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite their standing in the La Liga table, their status as the home team this weekend means that it is Espanyol who are the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. The hosts can be backed for victory at best odds of 6/4 with bookmaker Coral, while those looking to back an away win for Villarreal can take advantage of odds of 19/10 with the same company.
Top Betting Tip Espanyol v Villarreal
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams scoring during the 90 minutes this weekend, which can be found at odds of 10/11 with William Hill.