Read our prediction for Espanyol vs Villarreal below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Espanyol vs Villarreal and you can increase your winnings!
Espanyol vs Villarreal Prediction & Betting tips
Until the 85th minute in the first leg between Villarreal and Espanyol Barcelona everything pointed out that the Catalans can go with an outstanding starting position in the return leg. Espanyol led to the final stage with 2: 0, before the host in the person of Karl Toko Ekambi and Carlos Bacca by two late goals actually still equal to 2-2 final score. Everything is therefore open for the second leg on Thursday, although the benefits remain on the side of the blue and white from Barcelona, who will enjoy the home advantage. In front of their home crowd, Espanyol played a much stronger role in the current season than in foreign countries and took 18 of the 24 points in front of their own fans.
If one looks at the current form, however, a question mark may be placed behind it, as to whether the Espanyol Barcelona vs. Spain match. Villarreal the odds on a three-way winner after 90 minutes at all bring the desired value, because both the home side, as well as the guests did not lick themselves last with fame. As it is difficult to predict the favorites in the match between Espanyol Barcelona and Villarreal, we look to the over / under market and start at least three goals in this encounter.
Espanyol Barcelona :
The previous La Liga season of Espanyol Barcelona must be considered differentiated. After an impressive six wins on the first eleven matchdays, the Catalans were still in the top group and were temporarily even the toughest pursuers of their own city rivals. The 2-1 defeat on Matchday 12 in Sevilla, however, started a negative series that was unlikely to be possible and could only be stopped with a 1-0 victory in the first competitive game of the new year against CD Leganes. Seven of the past eight La Liga games have lost the Blue and White. The tenth place in the table should therefore not obscure the fact that the lead on the first relegation place is only five points and the current constitution is far from living up to its own claims.
It would have been all the more important that the Catalans in the Copa del Rey celebrate a sense of achievement, but due to the two mentioned last-minute goals in the first leg at Villarreal (2: 2), the team of coach Rubi expects a tough second leg before their own fans. After all, the hope is that six of the seven victories in the domestic RCDE stage have been clinched. In three of the past five home games fell more than 2.5 goals. In total, there were nearly four goals scored in games involving Espanyol at home. At the weekend, Barcelona’s little brother conceded a 2: 3 defeat at Real Sociedad, once again realizing that the weaknesses are definitely on the defensive. The 27 goals in the upper half of the table La Liga by far the weakest value. Even in the fourth round of the Copa del Rey Espanyol conceded Barcelona against second division Cadiz two goals. For this reason, it seems not unlikely that Espanyol vs. Barcelona on Thursday in the second round of the second leg. Villarreal again the tip on at least three goals of success will be crowned. The fact that two new central defenders fail with new international Mario Hermoso and Oscar Duarte should not stabilize the already shaky defense. Sergio Garcia and Hernan Perez will also not be available.
Villarreal:
Villarreal is waiting for four first matches still on the first victory in the new calendar year 2019. If you want to win the currently lousy constitution at least something positive, then certainly that only one of these four mentioned matches was lost. At least it was a draw for Real Madrid (2-2), Eibar (0-0) and Espanyol Barcelona (2-2) in the first knockout round first leg of the UEFA Champions League first leg. The 1: 2 last Saturday against Getafe was then the provisional low and the already sixth La Liga game in a row, which did not win the ambitious “submarine” (three draws, three bankruptcies). Villarreal dropped back to penultimate place with only 17 points collected. The descent ghost has taken root in the east of the country and in the current form, even the super Gau in the form of a descent into the second division does not seem excluded.
Inevitably the question arises as to whether the managers responsible for coach Luis Garcia, who was introduced as the new coach in December, pay the necessary attention to the Spanish Cup competition, the Copa del Rey, or just consider the additional competitive games as ballast, which is the target ‘Preservation’ could make it more difficult. In any case, the coach will spare one or the other performers, especially as next Monday is the important away game in La Liga against the direct competitor SD Eibar on the program. Between Espanyol Barcelona and Villarreal so the prognosis for a home win is well justified. However, because the quality of the “Submarino amarillo” is definitely there and it must always be expected that the knot bursting at the unsettled kickers from Villarreal, the tendency in the return match Espanyol Barcelona vs.. Villarreal rather in the direction of the odds on the number of goals. More than 2.5 goals have been scored in four of the past five games of the former Champions League player. Coach Luis Garcia can draw on the full and has no significant injuries to complain.
Espanyol vs Villarreal head to head matches
09.01.19 CDR Villarreal Espanyol 2 : 2
07.10.18 LL Espanyol Villarreal 3 : 1
18.02.18 LL Espanyol Villarreal 1 : 1
21.09.17 LL Villarreal Espanyol 0 : 0
04.03.17 LL Villarreal Espanyol 2 : 0