Valencia vs Espanyol - Predictions, Stats & Odds
La Liga Statistics, AI predictions, (Expected) Lineups and Insights for Gameweek 21
Goals
Game Review
Valencia secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Espanyol in a La Liga clash on Saturday, 24 January 2026. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams exchanging blows until the very end. The win was crucial for Valencia, who have been striving to climb the league table. The game started with Valencia taking the lead in the 15th minute through Hugo Duro (GAP +0.7%), who capitalized on a defensive lapse by Espanyol. The first half saw Valencia controlling the tempo, but Espanyol remained resilient, waiting for their opportunity. Espanyol found their equalizer in the 54th minute when Ramon Terrats (GAP -0.9%) struck a well-placed shot past the Valencia goalkeeper. However, Valencia quickly responded with Eray Cömert (GAP -3.9%) scoring in the 59th minute to restore their lead. The match continued to be fiercely contested, with Espanyol's José Copete (GAP +0.6%) leveling the score again in the 79th minute. The decisive moment came in the 90th minute when substitute Largie Ramazani scored the winning goal for Valencia, sending the home fans into raptures. This victory was a testament to Valencia's attacking prowess and determination to secure all three points. Tactically, Valencia's manager made several changes, introducing Largie Ramazani, Diego López, Baptiste Santamaria, Umar Sadiq, and Javi Guerra during the match. These substitutions proved pivotal, especially Ramazani's impact off the bench. Espanyol also made changes, bringing in Miguel Rubio, Edu Expósito, Kike Garcia, Charles Pickel, and Tyrhys Dolan, but they couldn't turn the tide in their favor. In terms of individual performances, Dimitri Foulquier (GAP +2.1%) stood out for Valencia, contributing significantly to their defensive stability. Meanwhile, Stole Dimitrievski (GAP +0.2%) was solid in goal, making crucial saves to keep Espanyol at bay. This result leaves Valencia in a stronger position as they look to build momentum in the league. For Espanyol, the loss is a setback, but their fighting spirit suggests they can bounce back in upcoming fixtures.
Lineups
Valencia
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD |
Substitutes
| 63' | Umar Sadiqfor Hugo Duro |
| 64' | Diego Lópezfor Arnaut Danjuma |
| 88' | Javi Guerrafor Pepelu |
| 88' | Baptiste Santamariafor Filip Ugrinic |
| 88' | Largie Ramazanifor Luis Rioja |
Espanyol
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| DEF | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| MID | |
| FWD | |
| FWD | |
| FWD |
Substitutes
| 51' | Edu Expósitofor Pol Lozano |
| 51' | Kike Garciafor Pere Milla |
| 70' | Tyrhys Dolanfor Jofre Carreras |
| 79' | Miguel Rubiofor Fernando Calero |
| 79' | Charles Pickelfor Ramon Terrats |
League Table after the game
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Espanyol | 21 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 34 | W L D L L |
| 14 | Valencia | 21 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 33 | -11 | 23 | D L D W W |
Last Games
La Liga
Gameweek 21
What is GAP?
What is Plus Minus Goals (G±)?
Plus Minus Goals (G±) is the average goal difference per game while the player was on the pitch. A value above 0 indicates that the team rather wins, a value below 0 means his team concedes more goals than they score when the player is on the pitch. As an example, if the player's team is winning 3:1 the goal difference is +2, if the player's team is loosing 0:1, the goal difference is -1. It is a pure metric which is barely adjusted for circumstances to purely show the goal difference.
What is GAP?
GAP (Game Advantage Percentage) shows the percentage gap between a player and the average league player. It answers the question: How much does a player improve or worsen a team's performance? It is based on high level game data with a focus on the impact on the goal difference (G±) from the last 50 games of a player. Besides that, GAP goes further and considers game context by involving data from the player and all other players who are at the same time on the pitch, no matter if teammates or opponents. Football GAP - the individual metric for team players.