Real Madrid vs Espanyol Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Team News, Tactics & Key Stats

Second-placed Real Madrid will host Espanyol as they look to keep themselves alive in the title race in La Liga.

Real Madrid will host 13th-placed Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday. Los Blancos will look for a win to keep their title hopes alive, while Espanyol will look for a positive result to avoid dropping into the relegation zone.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men have had a tough time of late. They have not been consistent enough in all competitions. Real Madrid have only won two out of their last five league matches. Their last two league outings have ended in a draw.

Their recent form has helped Barcelona extend their lead at the top of the table by nine points. If Real Madrid fail to win against Espanyol, things might be beyond their reach. As a result, Ancelotti will look to field his best XI to ensure they manage to secure all three points at home.

Real Madrid will head into this fixture on the back of a 0-0 draw against Real Betis. They had the majority of the ball and took more shots but failed to get the desired result. However, they will be desperate to do better this time around.

Meanwhile, Espanyol are desperate for a win as they look to survive relegation. They might be 13th in the league, but they are only two points ahead of 18th-placed Almeria. And, the visitors will aware that a few bad results can see them drop into the relegation zone.

Diego Martínez’s men have had a mixed bag of results of late. They have managed to claim seven points out of their last five league fixtures, winning two, losing two, and drawing one.

The Catalan club are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Real Valladolid. It was an evenly contested fixture where Martinez’s men were not clinical enough in the final third and ended up on the wrong side of the result.

When the two sides met earlier in the season, Real Madrid had a comfortable outing, winning 3-1 away from home. It is going to be a touch more competitive this time around, with Real Madrid struggling of late. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the teams and tries to predict the tactics they could use.

Team News & Tactics

Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti will be without the services of Ferland Mendy and David Alaba because of their continued fitness woes. While Mendy has resumed training, he is not yet match-fit. However, he might be available for the Liverpool fixture. Meanwhile, Karim Benzema will also miss the match against Espanyol.

Antonio Rudiger has fitness concerns, and the manager might not risk him. However, Real Madrid do have a big boost, as Luka Modric, who was suspended for their previous fixture, will be back in the mix. He is likely to start in the centre of the park.

Real Madrid will once again go ahead with the 4-3-3 formation, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. With their first-choice full-backs out, Eduardo Camavinga will once again start at left-back, while Dani Carvajal might return at the right-back slot.

With Rudiger likely to be rested, Nacho will pair up with Eder Militao in the centre of the defence. Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to start as the holding midfielder, while the evergreen pair of Luka Modric and Toni Kross will be in support.

The versatile Federico Valverde and Brazilian talisman Vinicius Junior will be on the flanks. Finally, Rodrygo Goes will start as the striker with Benzema likely to be rested.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Camavinga; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Rodrygo, Vinicius

Espanyol

Diego Martínez will be without the services of Dani Gomez, Adria Pedrosa and Keidi Bare. The trio missed their previous outing against Real Valladolid and are expected to be out for this fixture as well. Brian Olivan is also a doubt for this fixture against Los Blancos after being subject to an early substitution last time out.

Espanyol are expected to start with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Fernando Pacheco will start in goal. Ronael Pierre-Gabriel and Oscar Gil will be the full-backs, while Cesar Montes and Sergi Gomez will pair up in the centre of the defence.

Vinicius Souza and Sergi Darder will pair up in front of the back line as the double pivots. The duo will look to control things in the centre of the park and help their defence against a deadly Real Madrid attack.

Denis Suarez, Martin Braithwaite and Javi Puado will be the three behind frontman Joselu. Puado and Braithwaite will play out wide, while Suarez will start as an attacking midfielder. The trio will look to link up with the frontman and cause trouble for Real Madrid’s defence.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pacheco; Gil, Montes, Sergi Gomez, Pierre-Gabriel; Darder, Vinicius; Puado, Suarez, Braithwaite; Joselu

Key Stats

• In the last 17 league fixtures between Real Madrid and Espanyol, Los Blancos have won 15.
• Real Madrid are the highest-scoring team in La Liga this season with 47 goals to their name.
• Madrid are on an eight-match winning streak at home against Espanyol in La Liga.
• Los Blancos have drawn their last two meeting in La Liga. They have not been involved in three back-to-back league draws since December 2019.
• Real Madrid have been winless in their last three fixtures in all competitions.

Player to Watch

Rodrygo Goes

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With Karim Benzema ruled out of this fixture, Rodrygo is all set to take charge as Real Madrid’s number nine. The Brazilian wonderkid has showcased his mettle time and again over the past few seasons and is expected to step up yet again.

Carlo Ancelotti will expect the 22-year-old to rise to the occasion and get the job done. Rodrygo has 18 goal involvements in the ongoing season, and he will be eager to add to it when he takes the pitch against Espanyol.

Prediction

Real Madrid 2-1 Espanyol

Real Madrid have not been at their best of late. They have not won their last three matches and are desperate for a win at home against a relegation-threatened outfit. Los Blancos will hope to turn things around when they host 13th-placed Espanyol.

Meanwhile, the visitors have been in decent form in the recent past. But they are heading into this match on the back of a loss in the league and they might be at the receiving end of another defeat when they travel to Madrid. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the hosts.