Chidera Ejuke: Espanyol vs Sevilla — Preview, team news, tips & H2H

Espanyol head into Matchday Four at the RCDE Stadium having turned a promising opening into a pair of identical 2-1 defeats, leaving them 12th in La Liga with three points from three matches, Afrik-Foot reports.

Sevilla arrive on the back of a 3-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid in their most recent outing, but with six points from two wins in three games.

Super Eagles winger Chidera Ejuke came off the bench to score in Sevilla’s win over Athletic Club, dinking the ball over World Cup-winning goalkeeper Unai Simón.

Espanyol vs Sevilla Match Preview

Espanyol swept aside Levante 3-0 on the opening day at the RCDE Stadium, with Roberto Fernandez scoring twice in what appeared to be a settled and well-organised performance.

However, that impression evaporated quickly when Real Madrid arrived the following matchday.

Substitute Carlos Espi scored a last-minute winner for Jose Mourinho’s side to claim a 2-1 victory, and a week later Espanyol fell to the same scoreline at Real Sociedad’s Reale Arena, conceding the decisive goal after having been level.

Sevilla’s volatility is of a different variety. The record Europa League winners are capable of high-level football but are defensively exposed when momentum shifts against them.

A 2-1 comeback win over Rayo Vallecano on the opening day and an excellent 3-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao, showing real quality in Garcia Plaza’s structure, were followed by a 3-1 home defeat to Atletico Madrid that revealed a back four still finding its bearings.

Six goals scored and five conceded across three matches place Sevilla sixth heading into Sunday.

Chidera Ejuke and Sevilla’s Head-to-Head Record With Espanyol

History is emphatically in Sevilla’s favour in this fixture. Across 34 recorded meetings between the clubs, Sevilla have won 21, drawn eight and lost just five, a ratio that reflects how seldom Espanyol have been able to establish sustain parity against the Andalusians.

In the last six meetings specifically, Sevilla have won four, with Espanyol claiming their most recent victory at home in November 2025 when they beat the visitors 2-1.

Prior to that, a 2-0 Sevilla win at this same ground in October 2024 and a 1-1 draw at the Sanchez-Pizjuan in January 2025 filled out the recent sequence, reinforcing that even in the games Sevilla have not won outright, Espanyol have struggled to force them to concede much.

Espanyol vs Sevilla Team News

Espanyol

Espanyol’s attacking options are limited by injuries. Kike Garcia is absent after undergoing surgery on his hamstring, removing the club’s most physically imposing striking option from the equation, while Javi Puado, the club captain, continues his recovery from a an ACL injury and will play no part.

Leandro Cabrera is available again after serving a three-match suspension and is expected to return to the centre of Espanyol’s defence, most likely alongside Unai Nunez.

Bryan Zaragoza, who arrived on loan from Bayern Munich, is a candidate to make his debut from the bench.

Sevilla

For Sevilla, there are no active suspensions. However, they have a significant midfield addition: Youssouf Fofana, the 27-year-old France international, completed a loan deal from AC Milan on deadline day.

He is in contention for Sunday, though having joined only days ago he may be limited to a substitute role.

Belgian forward Stassin also joined on a season-long loan from AS Saint-Etienne, broadening Garcia Plaza’s options across the front line.

Star player comparison: Chidera Ejuke vs Roberto Fernandez

The Managers: Gonzalez vs Garcia Plaza

Manolo Gonzalez guided the club back to La Liga, then secured 14th and 11th-place finishes across the two subsequent campaigns to establish a workable platform in the top flight.

His approach is structured and difficult to break down at home, built around a disciplined low block when not in possession and quick transitions through Roberto Fernandez’s pressing from the front.

The two-game losing streak that followed the Levante win is the only real question mark against his management of the early season, and whether his defensive shape can be reorganised with Cabrera returning to the centre-back role is the key tactical adjustment ahead of Sunday.

Luis Garcia Plaza is entering his first full season in charge of Sevilla, having taken over in March.

The summer has been used to reshape the squad substantially, bringing in Kochorashvili and Fofana which represents a clear attempt to give the 4-2-3-1 more stability without sacrificing the attacking intent.

The 3-1 home defeat to Atletico suggested Garcia Plaza still has work to do in organising his back four.

Espanyol vs Sevilla Tactical Preview

Both sides set up in the same 4-2-3-1 system, meaning the tactical contest will be decided through individual matchups and pressing patterns rather than structural mismatches.

The most significant individual battle on Sunday is Chidera Ejuke against whoever Gonzalez deploys at right back, almost certainly Omar El Hilali.

The Super Eagles winger’s dribble success rate of 62% across 27 La Liga appearances in 2025/26, completing 57 attempts according, which marks him as one of the most electric wingers in the Spanish top-flight.

On the other side, Miguel Sierra’s movement from the right attacking midfield position into the channel caused Atletico problems even in a losing game, and he has earned his starting berth on the right of the three behind Robbie Ure.

For Espanyol, Roberto Fernandez’s threat is not limited to the penalty box. His pressing from the front disrupts central defensive build-up, and his positioning from set pieces remains a consistent source of danger.

Sevilla’s double pivot of Agoume and Guridi must be alert to these situations, and if Fofana is fit enough to contribute from the bench, his reading of the game in defensive midfield would offer an additional layer of protection in the second half.

Espanyol vs Sevilla Prediction and Betting Tips

Espanyol vs Sevilla score prediction