LaLiga – Season Continues – R Madrid v Espanyol on Match-day 34
Espanyol take the challenge to League Leaders RMA – Saturday action from Santiago Bernabeu at 4:15pm GMT.
Leaders RMA are currently 12 places higher than their rivals Espanyol, when the two sides meet, they will sit in first and thirteenth positions respectively.
R Madrid will seek to retain their position at the top of the table, this meeting is no exception
Carlo Ancelotti will have impressed upon his team the importance of getting a positive result out of this game, following two successive defeats. First it was Seville and then Osasuna, however this is something that their opponents will be aware of going into this fixture.
Also, League leaders RMA keep finding ways to win, having secured 15 victories in their last 20 meetings is astonishing this season, to sit within the reach of a Champion’s League place. With 25 wins, 3 losses and 6 draws for a total of 78 points so far this season, they have secured the top spot in the LaLiga having won 25 games, drawn six matches, and lost three fixtures.
Given Espanyol’s form at this time, it will be a significant challenge for them to overturn RMA’s home record. They have won 11 games, drawn four meetings, and lost one game so far this season. The prospects of a positive result for Espanyol are concerning for the visitors.
The ultimate prize this season will be for R Madrid to finish top of the LaLiga and secure automatic qualification for the Champion’s League. However, they must play each game as it comes and secure the points, if that is to be achieved.
Good atacking and defensive team
Defence begins with attack and RMA have defended well as a team, borne out by conceding 29 goals in their previous matches. Every player has contributed to them delivering a solid defensive display this LaLiga season. This has been a good season so far for RMA, in terms of goals scored (73). This season, their stand-out attacking players have been Karim Benzema (9), Marco Asensio (5), and Rodrygo (3).
Carlo Ancelotti could be missing up to six of their players through injury or illness for the game on Saturday.
Espanyol go into this meeting with 39 points secured
Only a positive result will be acceptable for Vicente Moreno’s men, following their recent home defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano in their last match.
Also, suffering 10 losses in 20 fixtures is a terrible run of form for any club, Vicente Moreno’s Espanyol will know this and will be hopeful of turning it around. With 39 points (10W, 15L and 9D), they are established in thirteenth position in the League having won 10 matches, drawn nine meetings, and lost 15 games.
Espanyol now travel, knowing that their current away form is woeful. So far this season they have won one game, drawn five meetings, and lost 10 games matches on the road.
A win in this fixture would take Espanyol’s points to 42 in the League.
Vicente Moreno will be forced to make changes to the plans for his squad, as injury or illness has depleted him of three of his Espanyol players.
R Madrid v Espanyol – Head-to-Heads.
Regarding their historical duels RMA and Espanyol have faced each other 55 times in the past, with the balance of wins sitting in RMA’s favour (40 – 9). Additionally, thirteen of the past 20 games between RMA and Espanyol have resulted in an RMA win. The last time both teams met in this competition Los Blancos delivered a 2-1 home win.
Other standout players for RMA are Marco Asensio and Rodrygo with five goals and three goals respectively and for Espanyol are Raul De Tomas and Sergi Darder with five goals both.
