Espanyol v Barcelona Betting
Are Barcelona bankers to win this clash at the RCDE Stadium? They are available at odds of 1.57 which suggests that they have a 65% chance of recording a victory. The Catalan side have a 66% hit rate on the road which ties in with the prices, although we should weigh up a few circumstances. Firstly, they travel to a team who sit fifth in the league table. Secondly, this is a Catalan derby which certainly makes home advantage more magnified.
Espanyol have been largely solid at home this term. Six wins and a draw from nine games on home soil. Recent form has been excellent. Manolo González's side have won their past five La Liga matches, with the run starting with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla before claiming a 1-0 success at Celta Vigo. More recently, there have been 1-0 wins over Rayo Vallecano and Getafe before a 2-1 triumph at Rayo Vallecano.
Barcelona are enjoying a special run of their own. Since losing 3-0 at Chelsea in the Champions League, it has been a spate of victories. This includes a crazy 5-3 success away to Real Betis along with a 2-0 triumph at Villarreal before signing off for the festive period. They continue to be power scorers and will feel confident of achieving a derby success.
We do know that Barca can often have a weak defensive underbelly although the victory at El Madrigal demonstrated their defensive steely side where the Yellow Submarine failed to land a glove on their opponents, especially after Renato Veiga was sent off for the home side. Espanyol will need to keep better discipline if they are to fashion a positive result in this encounter. A draw might be worthy of consideration considering the form of the home side.
Goals Under/Over
Over 2.5 Goals has a 70% chance of happening according to the latest odds. The last three Barcelona games have actually featured two goals, so it's not an absolute given that this will happen. However, there were previously nineteen consecutive matches where three or more were notched, so we have to assume that we'll be back on trend sooner rather than later.
As for Espanyol, there have been twenty-three goals across nine home games this term, so it's far from certain that they will score or concede many times. Four of the past five games involving the home side have featured a low goal count. They have actually become adept at winning games by a single goal and that will be the ultimate outcome here.
All things considered, we wouldn't be too keen to back the short price about Over 2.5 Goals and instead consider the Under 3.5 Goals quote instead.
BTTS
Both teams to score in the Barcelona derby is regarded as a highly likely outcome. The bookies make it 70% likely to happen but we're not sure it's an absolute given. Let's consider that Espanyol's recent wins have often been accompanied by a clean sheet. Throw into the mix that they have scored just once against Getafe, Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo.
Espanyol have only scored a modest twenty-two times across seventeen La Liga matches and they will face a Barcelona side fresh from a 2-0 win away to Villarreal. The Catalan side do sometimes leak goals and they have shipped fifteen on the road across nine away games, with the team managing to find the net twenty-three times.
The teams met last May where Barcelona were able to enjoy a 2-0 win and that came after the Spanish champions had landed a 3-1 win at the Nou Camp. This was the fourth consecutive Barcelona derby where we'd seen a BTTS Yes outcome and perhaps this is on the cards. You can potentially pair an away win in order to leverage the biggest possible price.
First Goalscorer
Ferran Torres has been ably deputising for Robert Lewandowski this season and the Spaniard has fifteen goals to his name. The latest game in which he scored involved a hat-trick at Real Betis as part of a 5-3 victory, with that coming after a goal against Atletico Madrid.
It's fair to say that goals can come from all areas of the pitch as far as Barcelona are concerned. Raphinha has scored four goals in as many games this term, with the Brazilian finding the net against Atleti and there was then a brace against Osasuna on 13 December. We also know that the former Leeds player is likely to be on penalty duties.
Pere Milla has an eye for goal and the Espanyol midfielder has netted six already this campaign. The latest was part of a 2-1 win away to Athletic Bilbao in a match where defender Carlos Romero was also able to score. Roberto Fernandez is on penalty duties for the home team and perhaps rank as the most likely player to score according to the odds.