Espanyol vs Valencia prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2022-05-13 19:30.
Espanyol will be grateful for the faltering form of others as they secured their La Liga (LL) status last weekend despite being in the midst of a winless league run stretching five matches (D1, L4). Conceding before half-time in the last four fixtures within that stretch highlights how Espanyol have been slow to get going in recent encounters, and thereâs now just one other LL side who has conceded more first-half league goals this season (25).
Sitting 13th ahead of this round, thereâs very little left for Espanyol to play for, yet they could be motivated by the fact another win against Valencia would hand them their first league double since 2007/08 after they won 2-1 in Decemberâs reverse fixture. With Espanyol avoiding defeat in each of their last three final home LL matches of the campaign (W2, D1), history looks to be on their side.
Similar to their opponents, losing Copa del Rey finalists Valencia are stumbling towards the end of the season and are now without a win in seven league outings (D4, L3). Manager JosĂ© BordalĂĄs admitted after their latest defeat at home to Real Betis (3-0) that his tenth-placed side are finding it âdifficult to focusâ with very little left to play for, but if they donât improve over these next two matches, then consecutive bottom-half league finishes looks the likely outcome.
Thatâs not what Valencia officials would have hoped for when appointing BordalĂĄs 12 months ago, and in recent weeks theyâll most likely be disappointed by the blunt nature of the clubâs attacking displays. âLos MurciĂ©lagosâ have scored just four league goals across the last nine gameweeks which is the fewest of any LL side during that period.
Players to watch: RaĂșl de TomĂĄs scored in Espanyolâs last league outing, and in their reverse H2H victory – both strikes came from the penalty spot. Valenciaâs Omar Alderete also scored in the reverse, although BordalĂĄs will likely be more worried about the defender keeping his cool after Alderete picked up four yellow cards across his last six competitive appearances.
Hot stat: Only the leagueâs top two have averaged more away points after conceding first than Valencia (1.11 – W3, D1, L5).