Real Madrid are predicted to beat Espanyol 2-0.
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Real Madrid host Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night after kicking off their Champions League campaign against Stuttgart in midweek.
Winners of their last two league matches and with three clean sheets from their last four in La Liga, Los Blancos are heavily favoured for the visit of Espanyol. An injury to Brahim Diaz is a setback with other players sidelined, but Carlo Ancelotti has plenty of attacking options in his squad.
With Barcelona not playing until Sunday evening, Real can move to within one point of their Clasico rivals. They are currently level with Atletico Madrid and Villarreal on 11 points apiece.
Having returned to La Liga via the playoffs last season, Espanyol started out their season without a win in their first three matches. They have kickstarted their campaign either side of the international break, however, with victories over Rayo Vallecano and Alaves.
This small early-season sample paints the Parakeets as a solid mid-table team by their results and their underlying metrics.
Real Madrid probable XI:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Endrick, Vinicius, Mbappe.
Espanyol probable XI:
Garcia; Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Romero; Tejero, Kral, Aguado, Carreras; Puado, Veliz.
All of Real Madrid’s matches this season (prior to facing Stuttgart) have had under 1.5 total goals before half-time. There were a grand total of two goals across Espanyol’s first three matches this season, with none of the matches delivering more than a goal in the first half.
The visitors, who average the third-lowest possession in La Liga, are going to be looking to absorb pressure at the Bernabeu. Espanyol attacks will be few and far between – they kept Real Sociedad scoreless in the first half and kept a clean sheet against Atletico Madrid.
Under 1.5 first-half goals looks like a good bet at the prices on offer, given the pattern of the matches these teams have played so far this season.
Real Madrid vs Espanyol Bet 1: Under 1.5 first-half goals @ 1.72 on Stake.
Real Madrid’s last two victories in La Liga were by a scoreline of 2-0. They have kept clean sheets in all three of their wins. Espanyol, meanwhile, failed to score in their first three matches this season and conceded just two goals in the process.
Real’s superior quality will get them to an ultimately routine victory, but we aren’t envisaging a hammering here. There has been enough from Espanyol to suggest they can frustrate their hosts.
We like the value in taking a 2-0 home win, despite Espanyol’s scoring outburst in their last two matches.
Real Madrid vs Espanyol Bet 2: Real Madrid to win 2-0 @ 6.50 with Stake.
Scorer of three goals in his last two La Liga matches, Kylian Mbappe is living up to expectation in Madrid. The Frenchman is averaging by far the most shots in the league at 5.8, and his total of 4.46 expected goals is only bettered by Robert Lewandowski.
We don’t expect Carlo Ancelotti to rest Mbappe at this stage of the season. He’s going to get plenty of good looks at goal against this Espanyol side.
Despite Vinicius Jr.’s recent contributions, there’s no question Mbappe is Real’s primary goal threat, averaging almost double as many shots as anyone else.
Real Madrid vs Espanyol Bet 3: Kylian Mbappe to score anytime @ 1.50 with Stake.