Espanyol vs Alaves Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Espanyol will fancy themselves to get back on track and push for European qualification once again as they welcome Deportivo Alaves to the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / US – ESPN+
Espanyol preview: Just outside the top four
Espanyol begin the 22nd match day of the campaign sitting just outside of the bottom three and the relegation places with the Catalans having majorly improved this season but they have been woeful in their most recent form.
The home team have now collected just one point from their last four matches in La Liga after the hosts most recently succumbed to a 3-2 defeat to Valencia in a game in which they conceded a 94th minute penalty scored by Largie Ramazani.
Alaves preview: Struggling Alaves
Deportivo Alaves come into this one on the back of an impressive performance to defeat Real Betis by two goals to one in the Basque Country last weekend, courtesy of goals from Birmingham City-bound Carlos Vicente and striker Toni Martinez.
Alaves had been in woeful form under the management of former Celta Vigo boss Eduardo Coudet but they have been able to push back away from the danger zone with that victory over the Andalusians.
Espanyol team news: Javi Puado out
Javi Puado has been dealing with an injury issue throughout this season and now the attacker has picked up another issue after recently returning to full fitness.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Dmitrovic; Pickel, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Jofre Carreras, Urko Gonzalez, Pol Lozano, Ramon Terrats; Roberto Fernandez, Pere Milla
Unavailable: Javi Puado (Injured)
Questionable:
Alaves team news: Nothing fresh
There are no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues and so the visitors will be able to name an unchanged eleven for this one in the Catalan capital city.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Antonio Sivera; Tenaglia, Carlos Benavidez, Jon Pacheco, Sergio Gomez; Calebe, Antonio Blanco, Pablo Ibanez, Carles Alena; Lucas Boye, Toni Martinez
Unavailable: Garces (Disciplinary)
Questionable: Carlos Vicente (Other)
Espanyol vs Alaves prediction
Last season, these are two sides that were locked in a relegation battle until towards the end of the campaign. Espanyol, with a takeover, have been much-improved as they push up the table and try to qualify for Europe, while Alaves appear to have been in disarray at times this season but will now have a newfound confidence to exploit an out of form home team and both teams scoring may well actually be a good bet for what is now an unpredictable encounter.
Espanyol vs Alaves tip: Both teams to score
