Espanyol vs Real Madrid La Liga Round 32 Odds & Betting Preview
- Real Madrid visit Espanyol vying for a fifth straight win and sole possession of top spot on the La Liga table
- Espanyol desperate for points, and an escape from last place on the table, have tallied five home wins this season
- Read below to get all the odds and trends ahead of this Round 32 matchup
First meets worst in this weekend’s La Liga action, as Read Madrid visits Espanyol on Sunday afternoon as lofty -240 road favorites in the Matchday 32 odds.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espanyol | +1.0, +1.5 (-120) | +575 | Over 2.5, 3.0 (-110) |
| Real Madrid | -1.0, -1.5 (+100) | -240 | Under 2.5, 3.0 (-110) |
| Draw | N/A | +370 | N/A |
Odds taken on June 27
Real Perfect in Return to Play
Real has remained perfect in the four matches since the La Liga schedule resumed earlier this month after a three-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Blancos are coming off a 2-0 victory over Mallorca on Wednesday that marks the third time they have kept clean sheets during a four-match win streak on home turf. The club has also shown signs of a turnaround on the road with last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad, which snapped a brief two-match away losing streak.
Here are the standings after another thrilling #LaLigaSantander Matchday! 🔥
Did your team's position improve? ⬆️ pic.twitter.com/BnGKpO8gFf
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) June 25, 2020
Real’s steady play has pulled them into a tie with Barcelona at 68 points atop the La Liga table. However, the club will need to regain the consistency that powered them through a seven-match unbeaten streak on the road earlier this season if they are to claim their first La Liga title since 2017. The Real offense has been sporadic on the road, scoring one or fewer goals in eight of their past 13 away contests in league action.
Modric, Nacho Sidelined
In addition, Real will be without some key personnel when they hit the pitch at RCDE Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Veteran midfielder Luka Modric will miss the contest after picking up his second yellow card in as many outings in Wednesday’s win over Mallorca.
Luka Modric and Ferland Mendy will miss Real's weekend La Liga trip to Espanyol through suspension. pic.twitter.com/uVTYJMIBO1
— Infinite Madrid (@InfiniteMadrid) June 25, 2020
The Croatian star will be joined on the sidelines by versatile defender Nacho Fernandez, who suffered a thigh injury in training this month, extending health concerns that have kept him out of action since February.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid Stats
| 20th (24 points) | Standing in La Liga | 1st (68 points) |
| 0.84 | Goals per game | 1.90 |
| 1.61 | Goals against per game | 0.68 |
| 1-1-3 | Past five La Liga matches | 4-0-1 |
Espanyol Teetering on Brink of Relegation
Real’s struggles to stay healthy come as good news to Espanyol, who enter Sunday’s contest as distant +575 home underdogs. The Barcelona side has become increasingly desperate for points since the La Liga schedule resumed. The club currently sits alone at the bottom of the La Liga table with 24 points, eight points adrift of Eibar in the race to avoid relegation.
The Periquitos have done little to help their own cause since returning to action, scoring just one total goal while going 0-1-2 after tallying a 2-0 home win over Deportivo Alaves back on June 13. Despite their recent woes, Espanyol have managed to regularly pick up points when playing on home turf, with this week’s 3-1 loss to Levante marking their first defeat in eight home dates across all competitions.
Feeble Offense a Cause for Concern
However, the Periquitos have struggled to keep pace with Real in recent meetings, getting outscored by a wide 7-2 total margin in three straight defeats and scoring just five total goals during a dismal 1-1-7 run against Real on home turf. And those scoring woes are likely to continue on Sunday.
Espanyol’s Wu Lei with the miss of the season in La Liga.
Fantastic save by Robles, but how on earth did Wu Lei bottle this from 2 yards out. Would’ve been the equalizer. pic.twitter.com/SzHqFoQDz7— Alex Truica (@AlexTruica) June 25, 2020
Espanyol’s top two goal scorers, Wu Lei and Raul de Tomas, each sport just four goals each on the season and have failed to find the back of the net over the club’s past three outings. That has to leave fans wondering where the offensive production will come from on Sunday and beyond, and whether Espanyol can keep things close in Sunday’s contest.
Picks: Real Madrid -1.0, -1.5 (+100); Real Madrid to record shutout win (+135)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
