The Matchday 20 clash in La Liga between Espanyol and Valladolid will take place on January 17 at the Cornella-El Prat Stadium in Barcelona. Espanyol vs. Valladolid: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (Spain)
Matches – 9 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 25;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.8;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 21;
Penalties – 22%.
Predicted lineups for Espanyol vs. Valladolid
Espanyol (4-1-4-1): Joan Garcia – Omar El-Hilali, Leandro Cabrera, Brian Olivan, Marash Kumbulla – Pol Lozano – Antonio Roca, Alex Kral, Alvaro Tejero, Javi Puado – Jofre Carreras.
Valladolid (4-3-3): Karl Hein – Javi Sanchez, Luis Perez, Lucas Rosa, Abdoulaye Djuma Ba – Kike Perez, Mario Martin, Stanko Juric – Marcos Andre, Anuar Tuhami, Raul Moro.
Espanyol
Manolo Gonzalez's side is among the bottom three, but they are only one point behind the safe 17th position. The Catalans slipped into the relegation zone after a five-match winless streak in La Liga, which included three draws and two losses. Notably, in their last five league matches, the team has scored just two goals. Their defense is also struggling, having conceded 31 goals in the first half of the season, with only Valladolid having a worse defensive record in La Liga (37 goals).
- Espanyol has managed only one win in their last 10 La Liga matches (3 draws and 6 losses).
- The number "1" appeared in the final scoreline in 7 of Espanyol's last 8 La Liga games.
- The Catalans have failed to score in the second half in their last five league matches.
Valladolid
Valladolid defeated Real Betis 1-0 at home in the last round. This was their fourth victory in the current La Liga campaign and their third at home. However, the club has won only twice in their last nine league matches (1 draw and 6 losses). Due to these poor results, Diego Cocca's side remains in the relegation zone but has reduced the gap to the safe 17th spot to two points.
- At least one team failed to score in 5 of Valladolid's last 6 La Liga matches.
- Two or more goals were scored in 10 of the club's last 13 league games.
- Valladolid has scored only two first-half goals in their last 12 away matches in La Liga.
Espanyol vs. Valladolid: Match Prediction
Both teams are aiming for three points in the upcoming match. For both clubs, defeating a close rival in the battle for La Liga survival is crucial. Therefore, the home stadium becomes a key factor in such encounters. In the last four head-to-head meetings in La Liga, the Catalans have won three times at home, with the visitors winning only once.
It should also be noted that Espanyol poses a threat to their opponents particularly at home. In the current championship, the Catalans have earned 15 of their 16 points at Cornella-El Prat, while Valladolid has only managed three points away from home out of their 15. Additionally, in their last 13 away matches in La Liga, Valladolid has lost 11 times (1 win and 1 draw). It's also worth mentioning that the visitors concede the most goals in the league during away games – 25 goals in nine matches.
My prediction – Espanyol to win
