Real Madrid will travel to struggling Espanyol on Saturday night, aiming for their 16th La Liga victory of the 2024-25 season. Both teams are in dire need of points, but for very different reasons.
Los Blancos are currently sitting at the top of the La Liga table, four points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, with both teams having played 21 matches. In contrast, Espanyol find themselves in 18th place, just one point behind 17th-placed Alaves in the fight for survival.
Espanyol have earned five wins, five draws, and 11 losses so far this season, leaving them with 20 points. After securing promotion from the Segunda Division through last season's playoffs, staying above 18th place would be seen as a success, but they are now firmly entrenched in a relegation battle.
Despite their struggles, Espanyol have been tough to beat in recent weeks, losing only one of their last six league matches. However, they’ve only managed one win during this stretch, which came at home against fellow relegation candidates Real Valladolid. Their 1-1 draw with Sevilla in their most recent outing further illustrates their mixed form. On the bright side, they’ve been unbeaten at home in La Liga since the end of October, a record they will hope to build on against Real Madrid.
Espanyol’s record against Real Madrid in recent years hasn’t been great, having lost their last four league meetings, including a heavy 4-1 defeat earlier this season. However, they did manage to defeat Los Blancos 2-1 at home in October 2021, which will give them some hope heading into this clash.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are riding high after a 3-0 victory over Brest in the Champions League on Wednesday, although they still need to win a playoff to secure a spot in the next round of the competition.
Domestically, Carlo Ancelotti's side are in excellent form, having won 3-0 against Real Valladolid last weekend to maintain their top spot in La Liga with 49 points from 21 matches. They are four points ahead of Atletico Madrid and seven clear of Barcelona, which puts them in a strong position at this stage of the season.
Los Blancos bring a five-match winning streak into this contest, with a total of 20 goals scored in those games. It's a busy period for the club, with a Copa del Rey quarter-final against Leganes coming up on February 5. Real Madrid also have the second-best away record in La Liga this season, having earned 22 points from 11 matches and six wins on the road.
Despite their strong away form, Espanyol's solid home record could make this a tricky encounter for the reigning champions. Real Madrid will need to be at their best to extend their winning run and keep their title charge on track.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Espanyol will once again be without Salvi Sanchez and Jose Gragera due to injury, while Brian Olivan is a major doubt after being forced off early in their recent match against Sevilla.
Head coach Manolo Gonzalez is expected to field most of the same players who started against Sevilla, but with Olivan’s injury, Carlos Romero is likely to be brought in at left-back.
New signing Roberto Fernandez, who joined on loan from Braga for the remainder of the season, is expected to feature in the attack alongside Javi Puado as Espanyol look to create chances in the final third.
For Real Madrid, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal remain sidelined with long-term injuries, but there’s a possibility that Eduardo Camavinga could recover from a muscle issue and return to the squad.
Vinicius Junior is also back after serving a suspension during the Champions League clash against Brest. He will likely return to the left wing of the front three, with Rodrygo, who scored twice against Brest, shifting to the right.
Raul Asencio could make his return in central defence, allowing Aurelien Tchouameni to move into midfield. David Alaba, still recovering from a serious knee injury that has kept him out for over a year, isn’t yet considered fit for a starting role.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Espanyol possible starting lineup:
J Garcia; El Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Romero; Carreras, Kral, Lozano, Tejero; Puado, Fernandez
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
EXPERT PREDICTION
Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid
Espanyol have the potential to make this a challenging match for Real Madrid, and we anticipate the Catalan side will find the back of the net on Saturday. However, Los Blancos should possess enough quality to secure a crucial three points.
