Espanyol vs Alaves predictions, H2H and match preview for this Saturday’s game in La Liga. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as the division’s bottom club face a vital home game.
by Mark Sochon (@marksoc1)
Espanyol vs Alaves Preview
This is a massive game for La Liga’s bottom club Espanyol. For many sides, a positive result on the first round of games in three months could provide a huge launchpad for the rest of the season and no team needs it more than Abelardo’s side. The Espanyol boss is up against his former club here but he will expect no favours with Alaves also involved in the relegation picture.
Espanyol invested heavily in January in a desperate attempt to salvage their season. While big money signing Raul De Tomas has delivered goals, their form hasn’t really turned around as much as their Chinese owners would have hoped when they decided to splash around €40 million. With 11 games to go and only 20 points on the board, they simply have to start winning these kind of matches if they are going to stand a chance of avoiding the drop to the Segunda.
Alaves were in decent form at the time of the halt to the season, losing just one of their last six league games. They’d struggled away from home for much of the campaign but had just started to show signs that they were becoming more difficult to play against on the road, with just one defeat in their last four away fixtures. Their success this season has largely been built around the strike pairing of Lucas Perez and Joselu, who between them have scored 69% of Alaves’ league goals this term.
The visitors will be without Joselu here though due to suspension which may see Scotland’s Oliver Burke given the chance to lead the line. Espanyol meanwhile will be forced into a change between the sticks with Diego Lopez suspended following a red card in their most recent match.
Season Recap: La Liga 2019/20 – The Story so Far
Espanyol vs Alaves Predictions
Score Prediction: 2-1 Espanyol
Joselu is a big loss for Alaves, not just because of his goal threat but because so much of their play goes through him. Espanyol boss Abelardo may just have benefited from some extra time on the training ground with his team over recent weeks, having only taken the job in difficult circumstances midway through the campaign. On paper this Espanyol side is better than their current league position suggests and they look capable of picking up a vital win here.
Espanyol vs Alaves Betting Tips (18+)
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It’s also worth mentioning that this weekend could be very unpredictable with many new variables as a result of the pause to the season and absence of fans. If you do choose to bet, only stake what you can afford to lose. See BeGambleAware for more on responsible gambling.
Espanyol vs Alaves H2H
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 2 Espanyol Wins, 2 Alaves Wins, 2 Draws.
- The sides drew 0-0 in Vitoria earlier in the season.
- Alaves have never won at the RCDE Stadium.
- They’ve lost 4 of their last 6 away games against Espanyol overall, drawing the other 2.
Predicted Line Ups
Espanyol Team:
Oier – Vila, Cabrera, Espinosa, Lopez – Darder, Roca, Lopez, Embarba – Calleri, De Tomas (4-4-2)
Alaves Team:
Pacheco – Duarte, Laguardia, Ely, Navarro – Mendez, Fejsa, Camarasa, Vidal – Burke, Perez (4-4-2)
We will have match previews for every game in La Liga this season.
Elsewhere this Weekend in LaLiga
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