Prediction: Espanyol vs Real Madrid

Prediction: Real Madrid win

Best Odds: 4/9

Bookmaker: bet365

It’s a classic top vs bottom clash this weekend in La Liga as Espanyol attempt to upset the established order against Real Madrid. These are the kind of games that would often be viewed as a foregone conclusion, but in the current climate, nothing is for sure. One team will just be happy to escape without embarrassment, whereas the other knows that even the slightest mistake could open the door for their rivals to pounce.

Espanyol

While they may have been able to overcome Alaves in their first game back, it’s been all downhill from there as Espanyol continue to slip further and further into mediocrity. They need a big result to give them a real boost heading into the final few games of the campaign, but it doesn’t seem as if they’ve got it in them. If there was ever a time for them to prove the masses wrong, though, it’s against one of the best clubs in world football.

Team News

Cabrera and Bernardo are both set to return from suspension whereas Lopez is expected to feature in the middle of the park once again. Elsewhere, Vila is a doubt for the game and Corchia is out through injury.

Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane has already conquered Europe three times, and now, he’ll want to make sure he can get his side back to the top of the Spanish game. Barca have had a stranglehold on the title for a few years, but the pieces finally seem to be in place for Real to make a serious surge between now and the end of the season. They’ve already beaten far tougher opposition throughout the campaign, so here, it’ll come down to whether or not they can avoid complacency.

Team News

Casemiro is back from suspension and should be thrust into the starting XI, with Nacho being a doubt through injury. Mendy and Modric are both suspended with Jovic and Vazquez being the two confirmed injury absences for the visitors.

Factors to Consider

• In their last meeting back in December, Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0.
• Espanyol have won one, drawn two and lost three of their last six games.
• Real Madrid have won five and lost one of their last six games.
• Espanyol have scored four goals and conceded six in their last six games.
• Real Madrid have scored 13 goals and conceded four in their last six games.

Conclusion

There’s always the park the bus route for Espanyol if they want to try and escape with a point before moving on to more winnable games, and that’s probably the best way forward for them here. They need to hope that everything can fall in line for them and that they could potentially hit their far superior opponents on the counter late in the game. In our opinion, though, that isn’t going to pay off for them, and Real are going to run out as decisive winners.

Prediction: Real Madrid win

Best Odds: 4/9

Bookmaker: bet365