La Liga, Saturday, 01/02/2025 at 9:00 p.m.
I have to be honest, the XXL Champions League Wednesday kept me on my toes – you rarely see that many goals in 90 minutes! Right in the middle of it: the “Los Blancos” with a sovereign three-pack against Brest.
Now, just a few days later, Ancelotti’s team is likely to continue its successful run in La Liga. However, I am being cautious in my Espanyol Barcelona Real Madrid tip.
An away win seems likely, but I don’t expect a rout – rather a controlled but deserved victory for the visitors.
Espanyol have stabilized in recent weeks, losing only one of their last six La Liga games. My Spanish friend Miguel will be very relieved to hear that.
Last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Sevilla was not the big breakthrough, but it was at least their second away point this season. After the game, coach Manolo González emphasized that every point in an away game is important to avoid relegation.
Nevertheless, the big problem remains: the “parrots” are still stuck in the relegation zone and urgently need to rack up more wins to pull away from the bottom spots.
But the team shows a different face at home in the RCDE Stadium. The Catalans have picked up a whopping 90% of their points so far (18 out of 20) in front of their own fans – a league-wide record for the 2024/25 season.
With five wins from 11 home games, they have proven that they can even give the big teams a hard time.
However, their record against the title defenders does not suggest an upset: in the last 10 direct duels in Barcelona, they have managed two wins, but 8 times, “Los Blancos” have still come out on top.
Even though Espanyol have already caused a stir here, it is likely to be a tough game to take anything away against the league leaders who are up to every trick.
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Real Madrid, meanwhile, are riding a powerful wave of momentum. After their convincing 3-0 Champions League win over Brest, they have secured their place in the knockout phase, and they are doing no less impressively in La Liga.
The last four league games have all been won, including the clear 3-0 win over Real Valladolid last weekend. The offense is particularly dangerous: in these four games, Carlo Ancelotti’s team scored an average of 3.25 goals per game.
Such numbers speak for themselves and make it difficult for any opponent to keep up. Atletico and Barca, in the role of pursuers, must therefore do everything they can to avoid losing further ground to the Royal Madrid.
The league leaders are also hard to stop away from home. In their last four league games on foreign turf, Madrid remained unbeaten (3 wins, 1 draw) and scored at least two goals in each game.
Even more impressive is their record against teams in the bottom half of the table: three games, three wins – and three times three goals. If they can keep this up, it will be another long night for Espanyol.
But the Catalans have often proved that they can rise above themselves in their own stadium.
Looking at the Espanyol Barcelona Real Madrid odds and the offers in the best sports betting apps, I would consider an away win.
However, the real odds are only 1.30 on average – and the “Royals” are not likely to win by much more than that.
With “Real to win with handicap -1” at odds of around 1.78, you can still strike a good compromise between security and risk.
In each of the last four direct duels against Espanyol, the Madrilenians have always managed to get the upper hand by more than one goal.
Want a little player-related Espanyol Barcelona Real Madrid tip? Rodrygo could be in the spotlight against Espanyol again after scoring a brace to lead Madrid to victory against Brest.
The Brazilian likes to score early, which makes a bet on “Rodrygo scores the first goal” at odds of around 8.10 particularly attractive. He has already scored three times in seven league duels against Espanyol, with two of those goals coming between the 30th minute and half-time.
Since Madrid have dominated in offense recently and Rodrygo is in top form, he could open the scoring again – a promising option for your personal betting slip!
One more thing: I am only interested in betting providers with fast payouts because I don’t want to waste time with unnecessary delays.
The quick processing of my winnings is crucial for me to be able to remain flexible. That’s why I only recommend betting providers with short processing times, who are not only reliable but also licensed.
These bookies guarantee a quick and secure payout, which gives me as a player a good feeling and should be important for you too.
Conclusion: Real Madrid has the necessary depth in its squad to remain competitive in several competitions at the same time. They are well prepared for the trip to Catalonia, but don’t expect a spectacular 6-0 victory.
As against Brest, the “Los Blancos” will play out their class without exaggerating. They won’t get lost in a showdown, but will stay focused and effective on their way to a confident but not excessive victory.
My Espanyol Barcelona Real Madrid prediction: win of the league leaders with handicap -1.
