Will Espanyol maintain their lead in the standings?
Much of European club football is heading into its second international break of the 2023/24 season, but the Spanish football substructure is defying the break as it continues as normal. On Monday evening, the tenth matchday will be concluded with two games. Our focus is on the duel of the only B team against the current league leader. Accordingly, the bookmakers see a clear starting situation and offer a maximum of 1.85 on Villarreal B vs. Espanyol Barcelona when betting on the visitors.
In the Spanish league system, it is possible that the second team can actually play in the second division. For Villarreal’s B team, the goal is to stay in the league, so that the gap to the professionals can be kept as small as possible. Higher ambitions are not necessary, but this is completely different for the Catalan guests. After last year’s bitter relegation, the goal is direct promotion. So far, Luis Garcia’s team is on track and wants to maintain its top position. We are optimistic that this will work out and also direct our prediction in the direction of the guests in Villarreal B vs. Espanyol Barcelona.
Those who get withdrawal symptoms during the international break due to the low number of games should turn their attention to LaLiga 2, as there is also a regular matchday on the agenda next weekend. Monday night’s clash at Villarreal’s training facility will kick off at 9pm.
Villarreal B – Statistics & current form
For many years, Villarreal CF’s talented youngsters narrowly missed out on promotion to LaLiga 2. In 2021/22, the time finally came and thanks to a certain Nicolas Jackson, the long-awaited goal was achieved in the play-off matches. It was the birth of the Senegalese, who shortly after took off in the senior team and is now chasing goals at Chelsea after a million-euro transfer.
The Yellow Submarine from Spain has been known for outstanding youth work for many years. Rodri, Pau Torres, Samu Chukwueze, Yeremi Pino or Alex Baena are all players who spent all or most of their youth (Rodri, Chukwueze) with the Spaniards. Coach Miguel Alvarez’s team is by no means lacking in talent.
The mini sub guarantees goals
Currently, the only B team in the second division is in 14th place in the table and absolutely on target. After only three points from the first four league games, a clear improvement in performance has been noticeable recently. In the last five league games, the team did not suffer a defeat. However, there was only one win, the other four games ended in a draw.
What is striking about the young guns from Villarreal is that the games tend to be very high-scoring. After nine matchdays, the goal difference is 14:14. Six games ended with a score of over 2.5 and seven times the bet on both teams scoring was the right decision. We agree with this tendency and find the odds for an over 2.5 on Villarreal B vs Espanyol Barcelona interesting.
This tendency is not at all surprising, as the Alvarez team is still a little green behind the ears in many situations. In the forward play, the very good technical training – Villarreal has not stood for almost perfect short passing for many years for nothing – comes to bear. This gives Villarreal B many opportunities to score goals.
Villarreal B’s likely line-up:
Alvarez – Romero, Lekovic, Espigares, Lanchi – Requena, del Moral, Gelardo, Altimira – Pasqual, Fores
Espanyol Barcelona – Statistics & current form
At the start of the 21st century, Espanyol Barcelona were a fixture in the Spanish LaLiga. In 2019/20, however, the club suffered relegation, but were able to celebrate immediate promotion back to LaLiga 2 as champions. After finishing 14th in their promotion year, the Catalans suffered relegation again the previous year. Head coach Luis Garcia took over at the beginning of April, but was unable to turn things around. Nevertheless, the club’s management was convinced that the 42-year-old was the right man to make a fresh start.
The relegated side act with aplomb one tier below
Routiniers like Fernando Pacheco, Sergi Gomez, Leandro Cabrera or even Martin Braithwaite remained loyal to the club and underpinned the ambitions for a LaLiga return. These ambitions are also confirmed on the green pitch, because with 20 points from nine league games, Espanyol Barcelona are currently in first place. They have won six of their nine games this season, shared the points twice and only suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Tenerife.
The attack has scored 19 times so far this season – the highest number in LaLiga 2. With five goals, Dane Martin Braithwaite is the most dangerous offensive player in the big promotion candidates. For a top team, the eight goals they have conceded so far (Real Zaragoza, their closest rivals, have only conceded four) are a relatively high number. This also speaks in favour of betting on a game with many goals in Villarreal B vs Espanyol Barcelona.
In home games this season, Espanyol only woke up in the second half. In the first 45 minutes, only one goal was scored, but in the second period there have already been nine goals at the home RCDE stadium. It’s a slightly different story away from home, with the Catalans leading at the half-time whistle in three of their five away games so far. The HT/FT 2/2 bet therefore also lends itself to Monday night against the mini-sub.
Predicted line-up of Espanyol Barcelona:
Pacheco – Olivan, Cabrera, Gomez, El Hilali – Lozano, Exposito – Milla, Melamed, Puado – Braithwaite
Villarreal B – Espanyol Barcelona Direct comparison / H2H balance
The yellow sub’s B team will face Espanyol Barcelona’s first team for the first time on Monday night. So far, there have only been 13 competitive matches against the Catalans’ B eleven. These were played between 2012/13 and 2019/20 – with the direct comparison being completely even with five wins for Villarreal B compared to four draws and four defeats.
Villarreal B – Espanyol Barcelona Tip
The hosts did not concede defeat in their last five league games, but are still considered clear underdogs on Monday evening at the conclusion of matchday ten. The young B team from Villarreal is a team that is difficult to assess. Talent and enthusiasm are present, but in many situations it can also be seen that the Alvarez eleven is still “too green behind the ears”. Therefore, our tendency for Villarreal B vs. Espanyol Barcelona also goes in the direction of the prediction on the visitors.
Both the away win and the “half-time/finish 2/2” possibility mentioned above are interesting betting options that definitely offer value. Even better, in our opinion, is the ratio between probability of occurrence and potential return for Villarreal B vs. Espanyol Barcelona with the odds for the over 2.5. The yellow submarine scores a relatively large number of goals (3.11 on average per game). The young team wants to play football, but keeps forgetting about the defence. We bet six units, with a little more risk appetite the bet on Over 3.5 is also a possibility.
