Villarreal host struggling Espanyol in matchday 11 test
Villarreal return to the Estadio de la Ceramica on 30 October to face Espanyol in a matchday 11 fixture that pits two sides in starkly contrasting form against one another. The hosts arrive having won two of their last five matches, while Espanyol have won none of their last five, losing four and drawing one.
Form points one way
Villarreal's recent sequence of WLDWL suggests a side capable of good results even amid inconsistency, whereas Espanyol's LLDLL run has left them searching for any kind of momentum heading into the trip to Villarreal. The gap in recent wins, two for Villarreal against none for Espanyol, underlines how differently the two clubs' campaigns have unfolded over the last five rounds.
History favours the hosts
The head-to-head record offers little encouragement for the visitors. Villarreal have won each of the last five meetings between the two clubs, including a 4-1 victory in February and a 2-0 away win in Espanyol back in November last year. Further back, Villarreal also got the better of Espanyol in April 2025 and April 2023, as well as in September 2024, completing a run of five straight wins in the fixture.
With kick-off set for 30 October, Villarreal will look to continue that dominance over Espanyol while also arresting any dip suggested by their one draw and two defeats in the last five matches. Espanyol, by contrast, will be hoping to find a first win in some time against a side that has rarely let them leave with anything.