We’ve got a top-five La Liga derby on tap for Saturday. Fifth-place Espanyol travel to take on league powerhouse Barcelona, battling for three points that could be crucial in the final table.
Barcelona is a -210 favorite on the moneyline for this contest on DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s dive into a preview, prediction and pick for this Espanyol vs. Barcelona fixture.
Espanyol vs. Barcelona Prediction, Pick
Espanyol have been one of the surprises of the La Liga season so far. They’ve been relegated twice in the past six seasons, finishing no higher than 14th in the top flight. But this year, they’ve built a strong defensive foundation, conceding the fourth-fewest goals in the league. That’s immensely valuable in a league built on offensive skill. Espanyol have won their last five league matches while conceding only two goals.
They’re getting just enough production from the offense to capitalize on the defensive success. Veteran Pere Milla continues to chug along with six goals this season, and Edu Exposito provides consistent service from the No. 10 spot. Loanee Carlos Romero has arguably been the story of the season; the left back has contributed to five goals while being an integral part of Espanyol’s defense.
That defense will be tested thoroughly by a high-flying Barcelona attack. Barca have recorded 51 goals in 18 league matches, far and away the most in the league. The gap between Barca’s goals and second-place Real Madrid is the same as the scoring gap between Madrid and ninth-place Real Sociedad. International superstar Lamine Yamal fuels them, and he is making a serious Ballon d’Or case at 18 years old. Espanyol’s defense needs to lock in to prevent Barca’s top winger from picking them apart. They’ve already made him mad leading into this derby.
This is too much for Espanyol to overcome. Yamal knows how to back up his talk with results on the pitch, and I expect him to do so in a convincing win that sees Barcelona finish the first half of the season at the top of the table.
