Alaves vs Espanyol Prediction 22 February 2025
🔊 Are the "parrots" capable of securing their first away victory in the current La Liga campaign? The Saturday program in the Spanish Primera will kick off with a clash between Alaves and Espanyol. Both clubs have been winning very rarely this season. Note that the match at "Mendizorrotza" will be officiated by Juan Pulido. The preliminary predictions from the bookmakers are as follows: home team success - 1.8, victory for the visitors - 5.
Head-to-Head
At the start of the current La Liga season, the Catalan team achieved a spectacular victory over Alaves - 3:2. Javier Puado's hat-trick thrilled the entire football world following the Spanish championship. However, over the last 4 head-to-head matches at "Mendizorrotza," the team from Vitoria-Gasteiz has consistently added to their points tally - 1 draw and 3 wins.
Head-to-head statistics Alaves - Espanyol
Deportivo Alaves Team Overview
In the last round, Alaves and Leganes engaged in a thrilling shootout, ending in a 3-3 draw. However, it can be confidently said that such a high-scoring outcome did not logically follow from the match's flow. Let's take a look at the expected goals (xG) ratio - 1.81 to 1.77 in favor of the "Pepineros." Both teams had only 3 "big chances" combined. A large number of individual errors and rather mediocre defensive actions led to a significant number of goals on both sides. The "Bean Destroyers" desperately tried to overload the left flank, regularly forming a triangle with Diarra, Sanchez, and Alena. Antonio Blanco, playing as a defensive midfielder, tried to cover the middle of the field to prevent the opponent's numerical superiority. Interestingly, the "Glorious" have not won at "Mendizorrotza" in their last 5 matches. In terms of points earned at their home ground, Alaves is one of the main underperformers in the championship - 13 points after 11 games (19th in the league). Eduardo Coudet still cannot count on the help of Tomas Konecny and Hugo Novoa-Ramos (both due to injuries).
Match Results: Deportivo Alaves
Espanyol Barcelona Team Overview
Espanyol has been performing horrendously in away matches this season, with only 2 points earned from 11 games (the worst record in the league). Moreover, the "Parakeets" barely score in every other match, averaging 0.55 goals per away game. In the last round, the Catalan club managed to achieve a largely sensational result with a draw against Athletic (1:1). Despite the nominal 4-2-3-1 formation, Manolo Gonzalez often resorts to positional rotations, transforming the formation into a 4-4-2. This move significantly simplifies the team's transition from defense and allows for clearer positional defense. Among the main personnel losses for the Catalan club are Jose Cata, Jose Gragera, Fernando Pacheco, and Pablo Ramon (all due to injuries). It is worth noting that an irreplaceable figure for Espanyol is Javier Puado. The Spanish forward not only plays well with his back to the goal but also feels quite comfortable in the half-spaces. This season, he has already scored 8 goals and provided an assist.
Match Results: Espanyol Barcelona
⚽️ GOAL PREDICTION
In 8 of the last 10 matches involving Espanyol, there were no more than two goals scored. Manolo Gonzalez's team regularly uses its ability to close down open spaces and effectively "shut down" the game. It is highly unlikely that the rather straightforward Alaves will not face difficulties penetrating the opponent's penalty area. Additionally, the average scoring in head-to-head encounters between the "Glorious" and the "Parakeets" is 1.8 goals per match. Our pick is total under 2.5 goals.
🚩 CORNER PREDICTION
Note that in 7 of the last 8 matches involving Alaves, there were no more than 10 corner kicks. The same trend characterizes the previous 5 matches of Espanyol. Finally, let's note the average number of corners observed in the clubs' encounters this season: 8.9 for the "Glorious" and 9.1 for the "Parakeets". It seems quite logical to consider the following event - total corners under 9.5.
Editorial Prediction
An extremely concerning factor is Espanyol's dreadful performance in away matches. The "Parakeets" regularly "crumble" under increased pressure and simply cannot maintain a high tempo for the full 90 minutes. Let's also note that the Catalans have not won in Vitoria-Gasteiz for quite some time. Espanyol's last success at "Mendizorrotza" was during the 2016/17 La Liga season (1:0). Our editorial team predicts a victory for the hosts with a score of 1:0. The key bet is on Alaves' victory.
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Betting Tips: Deportivo Alaves - Espanyol Barcelona
in 8 of last 9 away games (La Liga).in 6 of last 7 away games.
in 12 of last 13 games.in 11 of last 12 games (La Liga).in last 5 home games (La Liga).
in 10 of last 11 home games against Espanyol Barcelona (La Liga).in 13 of last 14 away games.in last 11 away games (La Liga).in 19 of last 20 games (La Liga).in last 13 games.in 8 of last 9 home games (La Liga).
Comparison of Teams Stats
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