Villarreal v Espanyol preview: Sarabia era starts from the stands as crisis club visit La Cerámica
Villarreal v Espanyol opens La Liga's weekend with the visitors in turmoil: Manolo González sacked, Eder Sarabia banned and a seven-game losing run against the Yellow Submarine.
Villarreal v Espanyol opens the La Liga weekend tonight with the visitors in chaos: a new head coach who cannot sit on the bench, a cup humiliation still stinging and a seven-game losing run against tonight’s hosts.
Main image: DSN graphic
Kick-off at the Estadio de la Cerámica is 20:00 UK time (21:00 in Spain), with José María Sánchez Martínez refereeing.
Espanyol sacked Manolo González after Tuesday’s 4-3 Copa del Rey defeat by fourth-tier Sestao River and have appointed Eder Sarabia. But the club confirmed Sarabia arrives carrying a two-match suspension from his time at Elche, so he serves the first game tonight and Sergio García takes charge on the touchline.
Villarreal v Espanyol: the key numbers
| Villarreal | Espanyol | |
|---|---|---|
| League position | 10th (12 pts) | 18th (8 pts) |
| Last league result | W 2-1 at Valencia | Last league win: at Osasuna, 12 Sept |
| Midweek cup | W 5-0 v Manacor | L 3-4 v Sestao River |
| Head-to-head | Villarreal have won the last seven meetings | |
| Kick-off (UK) | Friday 30 October, 20:00 | |
Espanyol’s week of upheaval
The Catalans have lost five of their last six in all competitions and sit 18th, in the relegation zone. Their last win came at Osasuna in mid-September. Sporting director Monchi told the club’s website the priority now was simply tonight’s game and the three points on offer.
Kike García and Jofre are injured, according to Sports Mole, while Bryan Zaragoza is expected back in the side. The main threat is Roberto Fernández, who has six league goals this season. Expect changes from the team beaten at Sestao.
Pérez wary of a wounded opponent
Villarreal sit tenth with 12 points from ten games, five behind sixth-placed Sevilla. They arrive in decent shape after a 2-1 win at Valencia and a 5-0 cup stroll against Manacor, having also lost a seven-goal thriller 4-3 at Liverpool in the Champions League on 20 October.
Head coach Iñigo Pérez is not taking the visitors lightly. “When there is so much noise around, in this case from the rival team, it always forces you to be even more alert to what might happen,” he told the club’s media (translated from Spanish). “I expect nothing other than a match of very high aggression.” His main aim, he said, is to stabilise the team’s home form.
Pape Gueye is suspended after his red card at Valencia, while Carlos Romero and Nathan Saliba are injured. Ilias Akhomach faces a late fitness test. Georges Mikautadze, the club’s top scorer with five, leads the line.
The wider picture
Villarreal have not lost to Espanyol since January 2020. Another win would lift them towards the European places, while defeat would leave Espanyol’s new man inheriting an even deeper hole.
Our sister site DGBN has followed Espanyol’s season too, including the ex-Blackburn winger who faced Mourinho and Real Madrid.
Elsewhere tonight, France has its own grudge match in our Lille v Lens Derby du Nord preview, and Spanish fans will remember Yamal and Rodri keeping Spain perfect against Czechia. On Saturday, read our Chelsea v Man Utd preview.
