Villarreal

Win probability

Markets

Key factors

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  Starter out · Villarreal

  Pape Gueye started in midfield at Mestalla but was sent off with a straight red card in the 79th minute for an elbow on Gayà, so he is banned for Espanyol.

  VIL
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  Fixture congestion · Villarreal

  Villarreal play their third match in seven days: league at Valencia on Saturday 24 October, Copa del Rey at Manacor reported on 27 October, then Espanyol on Friday.

  VIL
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  New manager · Espanyol

  Espanyol dismissed head coach Manolo González after the 4-3 Copa del Rey exit to Sestao River, so this is their first game after the change.

  ESP
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  Eder Sarabia suspended

  New coach Sarabia watches Deportivo from the stands as he serves the last game of a four-match ban carried over from last season; his bench debut comes next at Athletic.

  ESP
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  Íñigo Pérez is under real pressure after the record 6-0 home defeat by PSG followed a loss to Espanyol, with Marca reporting the club weighing his future before Getafe.

  Íñigo Pérez is under real pressure after the record 6-0 home defeat by PSG followed a loss to Espanyol, with Marca reporting the club weighing his future before Getafe.

  VIL
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  Espanyol sacked Manolo González after a Copa del Rey exit to Sestao River and a poor league run, and appointed Eder Sarabia until 2028.

  Espanyol sacked Manolo González after a Copa del Rey exit to Sestao River and a poor league run, and appointed Eder Sarabia until 2028.

  ESP
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  Carlos Romero doubtful

  Left-back Carlos Romero is nearing a return to match action but is a doubt for the visit of Espanyol.

  VIL
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  Interim coach Sergio García leads the side at Villarreal because new head coach Eder Sarabia is serving a touchline ban from his Elche spell; García says the squad is convinced it can win.

  Interim coach Sergio García leads the side at Villarreal because new head coach Eder Sarabia is serving a touchline ban from his Elche spell; García says the squad is convinced it can win.

  ESP

Preview

Espanyol arrive at the Cerámica in turmoil. They sacked Manolo González on Tuesday after a 4-3 Copa del Rey exit to Sestao River, and they sit 18th with eight points from ten games and one draw in their last five. Villarreal are 10th but won two of their last three league games, including a 2-1 win at Valencia settled by Mikautadze in the 96th minute. That night cost them Pape Gueye, sent off for an elbow, so they lose a midfield starter. It is also their third game in seven days after a 5-0 cup win at Manacor, where Iñigo Pérez rotated and gave minutes to academy players with Friday in mind. Nicolas Pépé scored there on his return from an eye problem. Both sides concede more than they score away from home or average close to it: Villarreal score and concede 1.5 per home game, Espanyol score 1.2 and concede 1.4 on the road. The last five meetings produced 17 goals, three of them with three or more. A new-coach reaction and the congestion trim Villarreal's win to 63%, short of value at 1.50, so goals are the better angle: over 2.5 at 63%.

Head to head

• 2026-02-09Villarreal 4–1 EspanyolLa Liga
• 2025-11-08Espanyol 0–2 VillarrealLa Liga
• 2025-04-27Villarreal 1–0 EspanyolLa Liga
• 2024-09-26Espanyol 1–2 VillarrealLa Liga
• 2023-04-27Villarreal 4–2 EspanyolLa Liga