Espanyol vs Valladolid Prediction 17 January 2025

🔊 Which team will succeed in the battle for survival in La Liga? Both Espanyol and Real Valladolid are currently in the relegation zone. However, a win could allow one of the sides to move to a safe position. Not every team in such a situation will risk playing from a position of strength. Therefore, we will consider different options to make the prediction optimal. Note that the match will take place at the “RCDE” Stadium (Cornellà de Llobregat).

📊 Head-to-Head

In a stretch of 32 head-to-head matches, Espanyol holds the advantage with 38% victories. However, in the first round of the current season, they lost away (0:1). The only goal was scored by Raul Moro in the middle of the first half. There were practically no dangerous moments in the match. Suffice it to say that the total xG was less than one. The meeting, which took place in August, fits well into the trend where opponents have drawn in the second 45 minutes in five consecutive head-to-head matches. Therefore, a bet on - Draw in the 2nd half looks quite profitable.

🔵 Espanyol

Espanyol last won in November when they unexpectedly scored three times against Celta (3:1). This is the second instance in the tournament where the team managed to score so many goals. Previously, Espanyol scored three times against Alavés at the beginning of the championship. Note that the team has only four wins in La Liga, all at home. Currently, they have a winless streak of six matches including the Copa del Rey, where they unexpectedly lost to Barbastro (0:2). Espanyol scores very little. The club tried to partially solve this problem by loaning Jean Roberto Fernandez from Braga. The club also signed a contract with Real Madrid defender Pablo Ramón. However, the player has a serious injury, so he will not help Espanyol in the near future. There are other personnel losses as well. For example, midfielder José Gragera, who was a starter before his injury, is close to recovery.

🟣 Real Valladolid

For quite some time, Real Valladolid was seen as the main contender for relegation to Segunda. However, recently their chances of staying up have increased. In December, the team defeated Valencia (1:0), even though they finished the match with one player less. And in the last round, the “white and purples” pulled off an even bigger sensation by defeating Betis (1:0). They deservedly won, creating more scoring opportunities. But these achievements are all at home. Away, the team only beat Alavés (3:2), losing in the other eight matches. Despite performing poorly in La Liga, some Valladolid players have attracted interest from top clubs. For example, Manchester City is interested in Juma Ba and Raul Moro. If they leave, the team would be doomed to relegation. Moreover, key players Eray Cümart and Kike are on the injured list. Also, Juan Miguel Latasa will not play in the upcoming match as he is serving a suspension for a red card received against Valencia.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Espanyol is not known for its defensive reliability. Only Valladolid has conceded more goals than them. The “white and blues” have managed to keep a clean sheet in only one of their last 16 La Liga matches. Valladolid looked good against Betis, including in attack. Therefore, it is important to note the option - visitors to score. They have managed to do so in 8 of their last 9 head-to-head matches in La Liga.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Both teams approach the match with low trends on corners. Espanyol has not had more than five corners in 7 of their last 8 La Liga games. Valladolid has played less than four corners from set-pieces in eight consecutive matches. Therefore, a bet on total corners under 9.5 is emerging.

📝 Match Prediction

The favorite for the upcoming match is Espanyol, which can be considered a home team. They have earned 15 out of 16 points at “RCDE” Stadium. However, they haven't won for a long time, and Valladolid has improved recently and even moved off the bottom spot. In such a game, it is important for each team not to lose. Therefore, there is a high probability of a draw, which has been recorded in 34% of head-to-head meetings. In this situation, note the potential exact score of 1:1.

However, two goals are the maximum that can be expected from teams fighting for survival. They approach this head-to-head meeting with trends indicating that it is unlikely either side will score more than once. Therefore, as a key bet, we suggest total goals under 2.5, which has played out in six consecutive Espanyol matches.