Espanyol vs Real Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Espanyol have endured a woeful calendar year as the Catalans welcome a coasting Real Madrid side to the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona on Sunday night.
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: Collapsed Catalans
Espanyol were challenging for a top four or five finish at the turn of the year but the Catalans have endured a woeful 2026 whereby they remain winless and they have drifted into the bottom-half of the table.
The home team come into this one on the back of a goalless draw with relegation-battling Levante at the RCDE Stadium last Monday in a game in which Levante the better side, with Espanyol going down to ten men late on.
Real Madrid preview: Dilemma for Madrid
If Barcelona defeat Osasuna on Saturday and then Real Madrid drop points away to Espanyol on the Sunday then the Blaugrana will be crowned Spanish champions - but Los Blancos may be content with that to avoid Barca winning the title in El Clasico at Camp Nou next week.
Alvaro Arbeloa is due to depart the club this summer with Madrid having been very mediocre in recent months, continuing last week as they were pegged back to a 1-1 draw by an out of form Real Betis side at La Cartuja due to a second-half stoppage-time equaliser scored by Hector Bellerin.
Espanyol team news: Pol Lozano suspended
Espanyol are without Pol Lozano as he is missing through suspension following his red card against Levante last week, while versatile attacker Javi Puado is a longer-term injury absentee.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Ngonge, Ramon Terrats, Urko Gonzalez, Pere Milla; Kike, Edu Exposito
Unavailable: Pol Lozano (Suspended), Javi Puado (Injured)
Questionable:
Real Madrid team news: Mbappe now out
Real Madrid are now without Kylian Mbappe due to a hamstring injury, while in-form Arda Guler has also been ruled out alongside Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Rodrygo.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Mendy; Brahim, Thiago Pitarch, Fede Valverde, Bellingham; Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
Unavailable: Courtois (Injured), Eder Militao (Injured), Guler (Injured), Rodrygo (Injured), Mbappe (Injured)
Questionable:
Espanyol vs Real Madrid prediction
The pressure is now growing on Manolo Gonzalez, especially following Espanyol's takeover last summer and their ambitions to persist with a European challenge this season. They themselves will want to avoid or at least delay Barca winning the title, while Madrid may have a temptation to wrap it up as quickly as possible. In what is a bizarre evening where the winner may not be too happy, a low-scoring clash may well be in store, albeit with Madrid surely remaining the favourites in Catalonia.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid tip: Real Madrid to win & under 3.5 goals
