Real Sociedad VS Espanyol Match Prediction

  • Logo2016-09-09
  • Logo18:45:00
Real Sociedad
VS
Espanyol

Our Prediction Tip

Real Sociedad will win this match.

Even though they’ve met on some 38 occasions, there is still a telling similarity between the records of Sociedad and Espanyol when they meet head to head. The hosts have the upper hand – just – with 16 wins to Espanyol’s 11, with a further 11 encounters ending in a draw.

The h2h at Sociedad reads 10-6 in the hosts favour, although the last four meetings have been shared 2-2.

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Real Sociedad vs Espanyol: Prediction

It’s too early to know where we stand with these two perennial mid-table sides, although Espanyol’s goal-laden start suggests they are going for a rather more cosmopolitan strategy this time around. That could play into the hands of Sociedad, who were reliable enough at home in 2015/16 (W7 D5 L7) and who generally get the job done against sides they should be beating; even if the gulf between them and the top four or five in La Liga is cavernous.

Espanyol boasted the worst defence in the division in 2015/16, and with eight goals conceded in just two starts that theme looks set to continue this campaign as well. Their away record last season (W3 D2 L14) was derisory too, and they conceded at a rate of 2.50 goals per game. Their last clean sheet on the road came in May 2015, and that does not bode well here.

Sociedad are solid, rather than spectacular, but they are capable at home as they showed back in April when they defeated Barcelona on their own patch. They should have too much for the porous defence of Espanyol here.

Real Sociedad vs Espanyol Betting Tips

The price offered on Sociedad of 19/20 is completely fair given what we know about Espanyol on the road, and despite their topsy-turvy start to the campaign we’re confident enough in backing the hosts outright. But the visitors never seem to be shy of a goal or two, and that has certainly piqued our interest: Both Teams to Score (Evens) and Over 2.5 Goals (11/10) are both excellent value given what has gone before. 

We expect Sociedad to register at least one goal here – probably more, and so we’re looking to their frontman Juanmi to find the net. At 5/2 to do so at any point during the match, he offers outstanding value.

There’s no real shame in being defeated by Real Madrid 0-3, as happened to Real Sociedad on the opening day of the campaign, and they followed that up with a comfortable 2-0 triumph at Osasuna to prove that they are more than capable of overcoming La Liga’s lesser lights. They have another chance to prove that on Friday when they take on Espanyol.

Real Sociedad likely XI:

  • Goalkeeper:- Jeronimo Rulli

  • Defenders:- Joseba, Mikel Gonzalez, Inigo Martinez, Yuri

  • Midfielders:- Illarramendi, Ruben Pardo, Xabi Prieto, Zurutuza, Mikel Oyarzabal

  • Forwards:- Juanmi

Even though the La Liga campaign is just two games old, Espanyol have already marked themselves down as a team to watch: they lost 4-6 to Sevilla on the opening day and drew 2-2 with Malaga in another entertaining battle last time out. Can they make it a third here?

Espanyol likely XI:

  • Goalkeeper:- Roberto Jimenez

  • Defenders:- Javi Lopez, Alvaro Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Victor Sanchez

  • Midfielders:- Pablo Piatti, Hernan Perez, Marc Roca, Javi Fuego

  • Forwards:- Leo Baptistao, Gerard Moreno

Having scored/conceded a total of 1 goals in 180 minutes of football this season, it is a brave punter that tries to predict Espanyol\'s movements at the moment. What we do know is that Sociedad are pretty reliable at home, while Espanyol are typically awful on their travels, and so backing the hosts here is the smart bet.
The defensive unit of Espanyol has provided us with plenty of stats to relish here: they\'ve conceded eight in two matches so far this season, shipped an average of 2.50 goals per game in 2015/17 and last kept an away clean sheet approximately 18 months ago.