Read our prediction for Espanyol vs Atl. Madrid below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Espanyol vs Atl. Madrid and you can increase your winnings!
Espanyol vs Atl. Madrid Prediction & Betting tips
Fight against relegation against fight for the Champions League. This is the motto for the duel between Espanyol Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on Matchday 26 in La Liga.
Both teams urgently need points to achieve their season goals. While Atletico currently ranks third but only has one point ahead of fifth, Espanyol is bottom of the table – five points behind the saving bank.
The pressure is clearly on Espanyol, because a home defeat against Atleti and simultaneous victories of Eibar (at home against Levante) and Celta (visiting Granada), both of which are five points ahead (here is the table in Spain), and the Descent Espanyol could always be inevitable.
The “Pericos” are therefore under pressure on Sunday afternoon, while Atletico also needs a win, because anything but three points at the bottom of the table would be a disappointment and a setback for the team of coach Diego Simeone.
If we take a look at the betting odds for the game Espanyol Barcelona against Atletico Madrid, we can see that Atletico is naturally the favorite, but many expect a draw, as the comparatively low odds show.
Espanyol Barcelona:
Espanyol is therefore under a lot of pressure after the team had to leave empty-handed and suffered a 1-2 defeat at the Valladolid visit on the previous day.
A win would not only have Espanyol two points behind the saving bank, but could also have brought Valladolid into the relegation battle. But the unnecessary bankruptcy has now exacerbated the situation in Barcelona.
The shape of the “Pericos” under the new coach Abelardo is not bad at all. The former Alaves coach took over Espanyol in late December. In seven league games under his leadership there have been only two defeats, two wins and three draws.
A passable balance, but since the competition also diligently scores in the relegation battle, Espanyol does not get off the mark. The results clearly show that Abelardo’s team has become difficult to beat and become more competitive because of impressive results, such as a draw against FC Barcelona and Sevilla CF (2-2 each) and an away win at Villarreal CF (2nd :1).
In the underdog role, the Pericos clearly feel most comfortable when they are standing low and can work together against the ball – and then strike with switching moments. Make the game, so the bottom of the table has a noticeably difficult time. This also illustrates the home record: Espanyol is the weakest home team in the league, has only won one and won seven points in front of the home crowd – the record of a relegation.
Atletico Madrid :
Atletico Madrid are in a much more relaxed mood, thanks to the liberating 3-1 home win against Villarreal on the previous day. Three goals in one game, a rare achievement for Atletico, as it was only the third time this season that the Colchoneros had achieved this.
Three goals came before in the home game against SD Eibar on match day 3 and just in the “first leg” against Espanyol Barcelona (3: 1) on match day 13.
Otherwise, scoring is not the strength of the Manzanares team. The three goals also had a liberating effect – especially for a youngster: Joao Felix, who came from Benfica in Lisbon for 126 million euros in summer, scored his third goal of the season against Villarreal, the relief was evident for the Portuguese after his goal to the final score.
Felix is still strangely alien in Madrid, and had just returned from an injury. The goal will have been all the more important for him and Atletico’s self-confidence.
Diego Simeone will also be relieved, not only because of Felix’s goal, but also because of the personnel situation: the hospital has cleared, the coach of the Rojiblancos can finally fall back on important players in all parts of the team.
In Felix, Alvaro Morata, Kieran Trippier and Jose Maria Gimenez there are important corner pawns available again, Simeone recently ran out of strikers, which is why he had to improvise.
Against Espanyol, the Atletico trainer can send a strong starting self of his own on the pitch, which is also bursting with confidence.
Espanyol vs Atl. Madrid head to head matches
10.11.19 LL Atl. Madrid Espanyol 3 : 1
04.05.19 LL Espanyol Atl. Madrid 3 : 0
22.12.18 LL Atl. Madrid Espanyol 1 : 0
06.05.18 LL Atl. Madrid Espanyol 0 : 2
22.12.17 LL Espanyol Atl. Madrid 1 : 0