Barcelona hosts Espanyol in round 14 of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Saturday, November 20th at Camp Nou (Barcelona)
Barcelona is now very difficult to predict. Indeed, it is in this match that Xavi will make his debut in a new role. The midfielder is undoubtedly a living legend of Blaugranas, but what kind of coach is he? Yes, he has relevant experience, and it was quite successful. But the Spaniard worked in Qatar, and this is a very specific type of work. Now he will have to face a difficult challenge. It was not for nothing that Kuman was fired — the Catalan grandee is failing on all fronts! It will not be easy to reach the playoffs in the Champions League, where Barcelona must definitely beat Benfica and earn points in the game against Bayern Munich. As for LaLiga, the situation is awful: 17 points after 12 rounds and only 9th place. And, most importantly, the Catalans are lagging ten points behind Real Madrid, which makes the fight for the title virtually over in the fall. On the other hand, now Xavi will feel even more confident: his team just needs to push off from the bottom. Nobody demands triumphs in such a situation.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
Espanyol spent last season in Segunda. It is clear that in such conditions, the tasks of the club are as simple as possible. The Budgerigars must do their best not to return to the second division. And in this context, their performances in LaLiga can be called quite successful. The club has already scored as many points as its ambitious neighbor (17). However, the newcomer held one more match. Still, it is already clear that Espanyol will not have to wage a desperate struggle for survival if it is able to maintain the current pace. The team has already gained four victories (as many as defeats), and the goal difference is positive (14-13). We cannot but mention Raul de Thomas. The striker scored seven goals (two from a penalty spot) and made two assists. Not surprisingly, he was called up to the national team of Spain. The scorer, who is not a stranger to Real Madrid, will surely want to score in the match against Barcelona.
This is a derby, but the teams' strengths are clearly different. Espanyol gained its last victory in January 2018, but it was in the cup. In the championship, the Budgerigars won back at the beginning of 2009. Now bookmakers are confident in Barcelona's victory over the middle peasant. But it is unlikely that Xavi will succeed so easily in his debut match, as Espanyol will try to spoil it. Let's bet on Over 2.5 goals scored.
Prediction for the match: Over 2.5 goals scored
