Valladolid vs Espanyol prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-08-18 17:00.
[p]Earning a reputation as a yo-yo team, Real Valladolid have either been promoted to La Liga or relegated from it in the last four seasons. They returned to the top-flight thanks to a second place finish in the Segunda DivisiĂłn last term and are handed a generous-looking opening fixture against Espanyol – a side who accompanied them in promotion in 2023/24. [/p]
[p]The fixture gods perhaps haven’t been as kind to Valladolid as it may appear at first though, as this pair faced off three times last season across league and cup, with the hosts failing to secure a single victory (D1, L2). While recent history hasn’t been so kind, Valladolid are unbeaten in the last 11 league H2Hs they’ve hosted (W5, D6) and they do have a respectable record across their last six season-opening fixtures (W2, D3, L1). [/p]
[p]That record likely won’t faze Espanyol, who return to La Liga after winning the promotion playoffs. Based in Catalonia and a founding member of the Spanish top-flight, the White and Blues have partaken in more La Liga seasons without ever winning the competition than any other side, and while success this term will more be along the lines of staying up rather than winning the league, none of their five prior historical seasons to immediately follow a second-tier promotion have ended in relegation. [/p]
[p]They might not be too despondent to start their quest for survival this term on the road either, after they finished their last La Liga season as the tenth-best travelling side (W4, D6, L9). That’s opposed to being the 19th-best performing home side back then, but don’t expect a high-octane clash when Espanyol travel, as seven of their last eight away league games ended either 0-0 or 1-0 (W2, D5, L1). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Valladolid made Amath Ndiaye’s loan move permanent in the summer – he’s scored the first or last goal of the game on his last seven scoring appearances since he netted an equaliser against Espanyol whilst playing for Mallorca in 2020/21. Espanyol will hope new recruit Irvin Cardona can bring some firepower to their front line having lost last season’s Segunda DivisiĂłn top-scorer, Martin Braithwaite, while his last four club goals all arrived after the hour mark.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Espanyol haven’t scored more than once in an away league H2H since September 1994.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]