Villarreal move above Atletico Madrid after extending miserable 2026 for Espanyol | OneFootball

Villarreal 4-1 Espanyol

On paper, these two sides were separated by just two positions in the table going into the Monday night fixture at La Ceramica, but the gap stood at eight points, and the difference showed. The Yellow Submarine were back in their best form as Espanyol continue their dreadful run in 2026.

The opening to the game arguably saw Los Pericos start the better, with Omar El Hilali seeing his goal ruled out for a foul by Roberto Fernandez early on. Espanyol were breaking with danger in what became something of a basketball encounter, both sides looking to be direct and fast with the ball as soon as they turned it over. The worry for Manolo Gonzalez was that Villarreal’s quality in the final third would show if given the space to attack. Ten minutes before the break, after a couple of last-ditch blocks, it was a corner that Georges Mikautadze converted to give the home side the lead.

Espanyol continued to attack, and were looking threatening themselves, but six minutes later, Los Pericos had a mountain to climb. Gonzalez and his players were irate that a challenge in midfield was not penalised, and it directly led to Alberto Moleiro driving in on goal on the right side of the box. Unselfishly looking for the far post, Jose Salinas intercepted it, but the ball looped past Marko Dmitrovic into his own net

Villarreal twist the dagger early in second period

Image via Marca

The Yellow Submarine came out of the break ravenous for more, and what little hope Espanyol did have was swiftly ended. Five minutes after half-time, Moleiro found Nicolas Pepe centrally in the box, who beat his defender, sprinted into the box, and drove a shot low into the right corner with his left. Moleiro at this point was proving impossible to contain for an Espanyol that looked worlds away from the solid side of just six weeks ago.

This time the ball was worked to Mikautadze in midfield, who with space to run into carried the ball towards goal, then laying it left to Moleiro. The 22-year-old cut in on his right, and bent his shot into the right corner, ending the game as a contest just ten minutes into the second half. Espanyol continued to come forward, but there was a collective acceptance that the game was in its procession phase. Leandro Cabrera did flick a corner at the front post into the net with two minutes to go, but neglected to celebrate.

A resounding victory for Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side, it moves them up to third, level on points with Atletico Madrid but with a game in hand. Following a run of five games without a win in January, Villarreal got back on track in emphatic fashion. Espanyol must be wondering when their own run will end; a fifth loss in six games to start 2026, and one that leaves them now only a point ahead of Celta Vigo in 7th.