Clear number on the Spanish east coast?

After Villarreal CF – the 2021 overall winners of the UEFA Europa League – missed out on qualifying for a European competition in eighth place in the 2023/24 season, the yellow submarine is now back in the mix at the front. If you bet on a home win for Villarreal against Espanyol Barcelona, they would move to within one point of fourth place.

The strong home record of coach Marcelino’s team speaks in favor of this. In their home Estadio de la Cerámica, there have only been two defeats (five wins, five draws) in twelve La Liga home games in the 2024/25 season. The Yellow Submarine scored an impressive 28 goals at home, which also influenced our prediction for Villarreal against Espanyol Barcelona. The visitors from Catalonia have lost nine of their twelve La Liga away games (one win, two draws).
The balance also speaks for Villarreal CF, who have won their last four competitive games against Espanyol Barcelona and already recorded a 2-1 away win in Catalonia in the first leg. At home, it was even clearer recently. The last two home games against the Periquitos were won 4-2 and 5-1, with at least two goals difference in each game. Given the strong home offense and the Catalans’ particularly vulnerable defense away from home, this is also a very realistic result this time.

Villarreal – Statistics & current form

It has been four years since Villarreal CF won the UEFA Europa League, thereby achieving the greatest success in the club’s history. A year later, the club even made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, before more difficult times arose at the national level. After two seventh-place finishes in the final table, Unai Emery left. Last summer, the yellow submarine even only came in eighth under Marcelino and missed out on qualifying for Europe.

In the meantime, however, the flagship club from the province of Castellón is back on track. With 44 points from 25 league games, the eastern Spaniards already have a solid lead over sixth place and may even be able to look towards a top-four finish again.

The home record speaks for Villarreal

If Villarreal’s tip for a home win against Espanyol Barcelona comes true, the team from the east coast of Spain would end the matchday just one point behind Athletic Bilbao. This scenario is very likely given that the Yellow Submarine have won their last four competitive games against the Catalans – the last two home games even by at least two goals each time.

In fact, Marcelino’s side’s home record is looking strong. They have lost just two of their 12 La Liga home games in the 2024/25 season (five wins, five draws). Most recently, the eastern Spaniards even remained completely unbeaten in six consecutive league games (four wins, two draws), despite even the complicated away game at Atlético Madrid being on the program during this period (1:1).

Villarreal has a lot of offensive power to throw into the mix

One key to their current success is their offensive power. In their last six league games alone, Villarreal CF have always scored, managing a total of 14 goals. In contrast, 28 goals have been scored at their home ground, the Estadio de la Cerámica. Only Real Madrid (31) and FC Barcelona (29) have scored more in the league.

Alongside Thierno Barry, who joined the side from Basel and has already scored eight goals and provided three assists, top scorer Ayoze Pérez (eleven goals) and Álex Baena (six goals, seven assists) are particularly impressive. Since none of them is suspended, let alone injured, the same axis is likely to cause a stir again.

Espanyol Barcelona – Statistics & current form

After winning La Liga 2 last season, Espanyol Barcelona were promoted to the top division of Spanish football last summer. Here, the top priority is, of course, to avoid relegation. Overall, with 27 points from 25 league games, things are looking quite good, although there is still a long way to go for the team of coach Manolo González.

However, there has been a slight upturn recently. After the Catalans lost four of their last seven league games in 2024 (one win, two draws), there was only one defeat in seven La Liga games in the calendar year 2025 (three wins, three draws).

Espanyol Barcelona with miserable away record

At least the long dry spell away from home has finally been ended. The Periquitos won 1-0 at Deportivo Alavés last weekend. It was their first ever away win in 2024/25 (two draws, nine defeats) in their twelfth attempt. Nevertheless, only Real Valladolid (twelve) have lost more away games in the league (nine). The Ronaldo club are also the only club to have scored fewer points away from home (three) than the RCDE (five).

It’s no wonder, then, that the odds are so clearly against the visitors when Villarreal play Espanyol Barcelona, who have lost 75 percent of all their league games away from home. At Bet365, prices of 7.50 are quoted for tip 2. Incidentally, you can currently claim up to €100 in betting credits with the Bet365 bonus.

Espanyol Barcelona with problems in front of the opposing goal

Espanyol Barcelona’s lack of penetration also speaks against them winning any more points. Away from home, Espanyol Barcelona have scored just seven goals in twelve games. That is the lowest in the league. This is doubly problematic because they have already conceded 22 goals away from home – more than three times as many goals as they have scored.

Although coach Manolo González does not have any players out with injuries, and can largely call on his full squad, it seems highly unlikely that the two-league game long unbeaten streak can be extended against such a strong home and form-strong opponent.

Villarreal vs. Espanyol Barcelona Direct comparison / H2H record

Head to head: 19 – 21 – 11

A total of 51 meetings have taken place between the two teams so far and with 19 wins, Villarreal CF clearly leads the direct comparison. The Yellow Submarine are currently unbeaten in their last five matches against Espanyol Barcelona (four wins, one draw), with the last two home matches in La Liga (4:2 and 5:1) both ending in a victory with at least two goals difference.

EnglandVillarreal vs. Espanyol Barcelona Betting Tip

Although the form of the guests from Catalonia, who are threatened by relegation, has improved recently, the Periquitos’ away record is still miserable. The RCDE have lost nine of twelve La Liga away games in the current season (one win, two draws), which is why the betting odds of the best bookmakers for Villarreal against Espanyol Barcelona are clearly and unequivocally in favor of the home-strong eastern Spaniards. The side from the province of Castellón also have the third-best home offense in La Liga, with 28 goals, so it could potentially be quite a one-sided game.

In view of the fact that the Yellow Submarine has already won the last two home games against the Catalans by at least two goals, our prediction for the game between Villarreal and Espanyol Barcelona is still for the eastern Spaniards to win by at least two goals.