Espanyol vs Leganes Predictions, H2H and Match Preview

Espanyol vs Leganes predictions, H2H and match preview for this Friday’s game in La Liga as the hosts aim to end a miserable six game losing streak. Read on for analysis, betting tips and predicted line-ups for this one at the RCDE Stadium.

DATE/TIME – Friday 4th January 2019, 21:00 (Spanish Time)

STADIUM – RCDE Stadium

COMPETITION – La Liga

#EspanyolLeganes

This is a really big game you sense in the context of Espanyol’s season. They ended 2018 in woeful form but their bright start to the season means they still have some kind of platform from which to build and have a good overall campaign if they can get the right result here. However they take on an in-form Leganes side at the RCDE Stadium this Friday and they will be in for a tough game.

Leganes have really found their feet again under Mauricio Pellegrino. It won’t have escaped their attention that former boss Asier Garitano was sacked last month by Real Sociedad. So far at least his summer departure hasn’t being as damaging as many feared.

The South Madrid side are still tough to beat and organised defensively. It’s quite clear that they are not one of La Liga’s most creative sides but the strike pairing of Guido Carrillo and Youssef-En-Nesyri gives them two big strikers to target with crosses into the box and long balls and they are using them to good effect right now.

Espanyol will have to defend better than they have been over the past month if they are going to deal with that threat. However Rubi would have been encouraged by a better display at the Wanda Metropolitano last time out. They gave Atleti a really good game and only lost 1-0 to a Griezmann penalty.

It’s that time of year when suspensions are starting to kick in and both sides are missing an important player here with Esteban Granero banned for Espanyol while the same applies to Leganes’ Ruben Perez. Centre-back Mario Hermoso is also a minor doubt for the hosts and it’s vital that he plays as he has really marshalled this Espanyol back-line at times despite a few mistakes over the past month or so.

Espanyol vs Leganes Predictions

Score Prediction: 0-0 Draw

Espanyol are really low on confidence right now and they don’t look like scoring many goals with Borja Iglesias their only real threat up top. They could easily be frustrated by a Leganes side that will be content to keep on grinding out draws, particularly on the road.

Espanyol vs Leganes H2H

• Last 4 meetings: 2 Leganes Wins, 2 Espanyol Wins
• The sides haven’t met since last January when Leganes won 3-2 in Madrid.
• Leganes did the double over Espanyol last season, however the roles were reversed with Espanyol winning both fixtures in Leganes’ debut top flight season.

One to Watch – Dimitrios Siovas

Let’s not forget that yesterday one of our players turned thirty ?. Happy Birthday Dimitrios Siovas! Better late than never! ? pic.twitter.com/LTAC5tRdWC

— C.D. Leganés ???? (@CDLeganes_en) September 17, 2018

One man enjoying an excellent season is Leganes’ Dimitrios Siovas. The Greek has played a key role at the heart of the Lega back three and will be responsible for keeping Borja Iglesias quiet here.

Keep tabs on all our La Liga predictions and match previews.

Predicted Line Ups

Espanyol Team:

Lopez – Vila, Hermoso, Lopez, Lopez – Sanchez, Roca, Darder – Garcia, Iglesias, Baptistao (4-3-3)

Leganes Team:

Cuellar – Bustinza, Siovas, Omeruo – Silva, Vesga, Gumbau, Nyom – Rodriguez – En-Nesyri, Carrillo (3-4-1-2)