Espanyol take on the visitors Barcelona in the round 18 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Saturday, January 3rd at RCDE Stadium (Cornella de Llobregat).
Espanyol have managed to achieve notable success this season. The Parakeets have not impressed for a long time, and the current head coach, Manolo Gonzalez, took charge after another relegation to the Segunda. He immediately guided the club back to La Liga, even if only through the playoffs. Once there, the newcomers finished last season with 42 points, which was enough to win a very tough survival battle, as Leganes went down despite collecting a solid 40 points. This season, however, the Catalans have arguably become the biggest surprise of the championship. Their elimination from the Copa del Rey by Atletico Baleares can largely be explained by a clear focus on La Liga, where they now have a real chance of returning to European competition. In the previous round, Espanyol secured another important win against Athletic, a direct competitor, and strengthened their position among the league leaders. Recent results show strong consistency, especially at home. The current form suggests they are capable of competing even with top opponents.
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Barcelona ended 2024 without a single trophy, and that led to the appointment of the far more experienced coach Hansi Flick to replace club legend Xavi. Despite having no previous experience working in Spain, he quickly managed to win all domestic competitions. In autumn, however, setbacks almost caused panic around the team. The key point is that by the holiday period Barcelona had regained momentum, both in the Champions League, where qualification for the playoffs is not under threat, and in La Liga. There were controversies as well, including the most recent match against Villarreal, where the outcome was decided by a red card and a penalty, both of which sparked debate. Still, the Catalans went into the short break with a four-point advantage, 46 to 42, over Real Madrid, who dropped many points in recent months. Their recent league form indicates growing stability and control in matches. Barcelona are once again delivering results that justify their status as title contenders.
All three of the most recent matches were won by the club known as “More Than a Club.” They have not lost to their neighbors since the 2018 cup clash. This time it will not be easy for the Blaugrana, as the opponent is in peak form. The bet is on a total over 3.0 goals in this derby.
Prediction for the match: Over 3.0 scored goals.
