Villarreal vs Espanyol Highlights and Goals

La Liga

8:00 PMFebruary 9, 2026

Regular Season - 23

Villarreal

Show Score

4 - 1

HT:(2 - 0)

Espanyol

Estadio de la Ceramica

Referee: Adrian Cordero Vega, Spain

How did the teams perform?

Villarreal

World Class 0 Solid 0 Bang Average 0 Lucky 0 Shocking 0

0 Total Votes

Espanyol

World Class 0 Solid 0 Bang Average 0 Lucky 0 Shocking 0

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Match Stats

Ball possession

49%

51%

0.76

Expected goals (xG)

0.42

-2.00

Goals Prevented

-2.00

Attack

10

Total shots

8

3

Shots on target

2

4

Shots off target

4

3

Blocked shots

2

7

Shots inside box

4

3

Shots outside box

4

5

Corner kicks

7

1

Offsides

0

Passing

422

Total passes

427

376 (89%)

Accurate passes

366 (86%)

Discipline

18

Fouls

11

3

Yellow cards

3

0

Red cards

0

1

Goalkeeper saves

0

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Lineup

Villarreal

4-4-2

1 G Luiz Júnior 6.7

23 D Sergi Cardona 89' Roughing 6.7

12 D Renato Veiga 6.9

6 D Pau Navarro 6.9

15 D Santiago Mouriño 7.5

20 M Alberto Moleiro 55' 50' 8.2

10 M Dani Parejo (C) 6.9

18 M Pape Gueye 70' Roughing 6.2

17 M Tajon Buchanan 16' Tripping 35' 6.3

9 F Georges Mikautadze 35' 55' 8.6

19 F Nicolas Pépé 50' 9.0

Substitutes

22 F Ayoze Pérez 64' Replaced by T. Buchanan 6.7

14 M Santi Comesaña 65' Replaced by D. Parejo 6.2

25 G Arnau Tenas

3 D Alexander Freeman 73' Replaced by S. Mourino 6.2

4 D Rafa Marín

21 F Tani Oluwaseyi 73' Replaced by G. Mikautadze 6.2

32 F Hugo Lopez 80' Replaced by A. Moleiro 6.5

Coach

Marcelino

Espanyol

4-2-3-1

13 G Marko Dmitrović 5.3

12 D Jose Salinas 6' Holding 41' 4.9

6 D Leandro Cabrera (C) 88' 7.2

5 D Fernando Calero 6.2

23 D Omar El Hilali 5.9

10 M Pol Lozano 6.9

4 M Urko González 7.0

24 M Tyrhys Dolan 6.7

8 M Edu Expósito 53' Holding 6.0

11 M Pere Milla 6.5

9 F Roberto Fernández 6.2

Substitutes

38 D Clemens Riedel 57' Holding 48' Replaced by F. Calero 6.3

18 M Charles Pickel 59' Replaced by Exposito 6.5

19 F Kike García 59' Replaced by R. Fernandez Jaen 6.2

16 F Cyril Ngonge 88' 59' Replaced by T. Dolan 7.3

20 F Antoniu Roca 72' Replaced by P. Milla 6.3

30 G Pol Tristan Jimenez

1 G Angel Fortuno

15 D Miguel Rubio

2 D Rubén Sánchez

17 F Jofre Carreras

Coach

Manolo Gonzalez

La Liga Standings - Primera División

TotalHomeAway

Pos	Team	MP	W	D	L	+/-	GD	Pts	Form
1	Barcelona	27	22	1	4	72-26	46	67	W No match found L No match found W 28 February: Barcelona 4 - 1 Villarreal W 07 March: Athletic Club 0 - 1 Barcelona W 15 March: Barcelona 5 - 2 Sevilla
2	Real Madrid	27	20	3	4	56-23	33	63	W 14 February: Real Madrid 4 - 1 Real Sociedad W No match found L 02 March: Real Madrid 0 - 1 Getafe L No match found W 14 March: Real Madrid 4 - 1 Elche
3	Atletico Madrid	28	17	6	5	47-25	22	57	L 15 February: Rayo Vallecano 3 - 0 Atletico Madrid W 21 February: Atletico Madrid 4 - 2 Espanyol W 28 February: Oviedo 0 - 1 Atletico Madrid W 07 March: Atletico Madrid 3 - 2 Real Sociedad W 14 March: Atletico Madrid 1 - 0 Getafe
4	Villarreal	28	17	4	7	51-33	18	55	W 18 February: Levante 0 - 1 Villarreal W 22 February: Villarreal 2 - 1 Valencia L 28 February: Barcelona 4 - 1 Villarreal W 08 March: Villarreal 2 - 1 Elche D 13 March: Alaves 1 - 1 Villarreal
5	Real Betis	27	11	10	6	42-34	8	43	W 08 February: Atletico Madrid 0 - 1 Real Betis W 15 February: Mallorca 1 - 2 Real Betis D 21 February: Real Betis 1 - 1 Rayo Vallecano D 01 March: Real Betis 2 - 2 Sevilla L 08 March: Getafe 2 - 0 Real Betis
6	Celta Vigo	27	10	10	7	37-30	7	40	L 06 February: Celta Vigo 1 - 2 Osasuna D 14 February: Espanyol 2 - 2 Celta Vigo W 22 February: Celta Vigo 2 - 0 Mallorca W 01 March: Girona 1 - 2 Celta Vigo L 06 March: Celta Vigo 1 - 2 Real Madrid
7	Espanyol	27	10	7	10	34-40	-6	37	L No match found D No match found L No match found D 09 March: Espanyol 1 - 1 Oviedo D No match found
8	Real Sociedad	27	9	8	10	40-41	-1	35	W 07 February: Real Sociedad 3 - 1 Elche L 14 February: Real Madrid 4 - 1 Real Sociedad D 21 February: Real Sociedad 3 - 3 Oviedo W 28 February: Mallorca 0 - 1 Real Sociedad L 07 March: Atletico Madrid 3 - 2 Real Sociedad
9	Getafe	28	10	5	13	23-30	-7	35	W 14 February: Getafe 2 - 1 Villarreal L 22 February: Getafe 0 - 1 Sevilla W 02 March: Real Madrid 0 - 1 Getafe W 08 March: Getafe 2 - 0 Real Betis L 14 March: Atletico Madrid 1 - 0 Getafe
10	Athletic Club	28	10	5	13	30-40	-10	35	W 15 February: Oviedo 1 - 2 Athletic Club W 20 February: Athletic Club 2 - 1 Elche D 28 February: Rayo Vallecano 1 - 1 Athletic Club L 07 March: Athletic Club 0 - 1 Barcelona L 14 March: Girona 3 - 0 Athletic Club
11	Osasuna	27	9	7	11	32-32	0	34	W 06 February: Celta Vigo 1 - 2 Osasuna D 13 February: Elche 0 - 0 Osasuna W 21 February: Osasuna 2 - 1 Real Madrid L 01 March: Valencia 1 - 0 Osasuna D 07 March: Osasuna 2 - 2 Mallorca
12	Girona	28	8	10	10	31-43	-12	34	W 16 February: Girona 2 - 1 Barcelona D 23 February: Alaves 2 - 2 Girona L 01 March: Girona 1 - 2 Celta Vigo D 07 March: Levante 1 - 1 Girona W 14 March: Girona 3 - 0 Athletic Club
13	Valencia	28	8	8	12	30-42	-12	32	W 15 February: Levante 0 - 2 Valencia L 22 February: Villarreal 2 - 1 Valencia W 01 March: Valencia 1 - 0 Osasuna W 08 March: Valencia 3 - 2 Alaves L 14 March: Oviedo 1 - 0 Valencia
14	Sevilla	27	8	7	12	35-42	-7	31	D 14 February: Sevilla 1 - 1 Alaves D No match found W No match found D 08 March: Sevilla 1 - 1 Rayo Vallecano D No match found
15	Rayo Vallecano	27	7	10	10	27-33	-6	31	W 15 February: Rayo Vallecano 3 - 0 Atletico Madrid D 21 February: Real Betis 1 - 1 Rayo Vallecano D 28 February: Rayo Vallecano 1 - 1 Athletic Club W 04 March: Rayo Vallecano 3 - 0 Oviedo D 08 March: Sevilla 1 - 1 Rayo Vallecano
16	Alaves	28	7	7	14	26-38	-12	28	D 14 February: Sevilla 1 - 1 Alaves D 23 February: Alaves 2 - 2 Girona L 27 February: Levante 2 - 0 Alaves L 08 March: Valencia 3 - 2 Alaves D 13 March: Alaves 1 - 1 Villarreal
17	Elche	27	5	11	11	35-41	-6	26	L No match found D No match found L No match found D No match found L 14 March: Real Madrid 4 - 1 Elche
18	Mallorca	27	6	7	14	31-44	-13	25	L 15 February: Mallorca 1 - 2 Real Betis L 22 February: Celta Vigo 2 - 0 Mallorca L 28 February: Mallorca 0 - 1 Real Sociedad L No match found D No match found
19	Levante	27	5	7	15	29-45	-16	22	L 15 February: Levante 0 - 2 Valencia L 18 February: Levante 0 - 1 Villarreal L 22 February: Barcelona 3 - 0 Levante W 27 February: Levante 2 - 0 Alaves D 07 March: Levante 1 - 1 Girona
20	Oviedo	28	4	9	15	18-44	-26	21	D 21 February: Real Sociedad 3 - 3 Oviedo L 28 February: Oviedo 0 - 1 Atletico Madrid L 04 March: Rayo Vallecano 3 - 0 Oviedo D 09 March: Espanyol 1 - 1 Oviedo W 14 March: Oviedo 1 - 0 Valencia

Qualification/Relegation

• Promotion - Champions League (League phase)
• Promotion - Europa League (League phase)
• Promotion - Conference League (Qualification)
• Relegation - LaLiga2

Villarreal delivered a dominant performance at the Estadio de la Ceramica, securing a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Espanyol in La Liga.

Goals from Georges Mikautadze, Nicolas Pépé, and Alberto Moleiro highlighted the Yellow Submarine’s attacking prowess and clinical finishing. Entering the fixture, Villarreal aimed to solidify their top-four aspirations, riding a wave of recent impressive performances. Espanyol, despite their commendable sixth-place standing, arrived with a shaky ‘LLLDL’ form, desperate to reverse their fortunes on the road.

The match began with early intensity. Espanyol thought they had taken the lead in the 12th minute through Oumar El Hilali. However, VAR intervened, disallowing the goal for an infringement and keeping the score level. Villarreal then started to assert their control over the midfield. Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute when Georges Mikautadze drilled home the opener, following a precise assist from Tajon Buchanan.

The Yellow Submarine extended their lead just before half-time. A stroke of misfortune for Espanyol saw defender Javi Salinas divert the ball into his own net in the 41st minute, doubling Villarreal’s advantage. Despite Espanyol’s slight ball possession, Villarreal’s attacking efficiency was undeniable. They headed into the break with a commanding 2-0 lead. Espanyol faced a tough task, needing a strong second-half response.

Villarreal wasted no time in the second half, swiftly extinguishing any hopes of an Espanyol comeback. Just five minutes after the restart, Nicolas Pépé found the net in the 50th minute, expertly finishing a move initiated by the lively Alberto Moleiro. The hosts continued their relentless attack, piling on the pressure. Five minutes later, Moleiro himself got on the scoresheet, slotting home in the 55th minute with Mikautadze turning provider, sealing a dominant four-goal lead.

Espanyol’s manager reacted with multiple substitutions around the hour mark, introducing Cyril Ngonge. Defender Leandro Cabrera eventually managed a late consolation for Espanyol in the 88th minute, heading in from a Ngonge assist. Villarreal’s clinical edge was undeniable. Three shots on target led to three goals, surpassing their 0.76 Expected Goals (xG). Espanyol’s 0.42 xG and two shots on target highlighted their struggle. Nicolas Pépé earned a 9.0 rating for his impactful performance.

This emphatic victory strengthens Villarreal’s grip on a European qualification spot in La Liga. For Espanyol, the result extends their poor run of form, demanding immediate tactical adjustments and improved performances in upcoming fixtures.