At the RCDE Stadium, Espanyol and Atletico Madrid face off in the second match of the 29th round of La Liga. With only 10 games remaining in this highly competitive season, both at the top and the bottom of the table, it's clear that every match is crucial to avoid disappointing fans and continue pursuing early-season objectives. If the season were to end today, Espanyol would be satisfied with their current 15th place, which would mean survival and staying in La Liga. Unfortunately, the advantage that Manolo Gonzalez's men have over the third-from-bottom position is just one point, which clearly doesn't allow for complacency but rather demands crucial points starting from this tough match against the third-best team in the league: Atletico Madrid. For the Colchoneros, this is a decisive match to stay in touch with Real Madrid and Barcelona, fighting for the title that has eluded them since the 2020/21 season, while also looking ahead to the Copa del Rey semifinal return against the Catalans next Wednesday (with the first leg ending in a 4-4 draw).

Espanyol's Recent Form and Statistics

Before the international break, Espanyol suffered their 13th loss of the season, losing 2-1 away to Mallorca. Thanks to concurrent draws by Valencia, Alaves, and Las Palmas, they now have only a one-point lead over the third-from-bottom spot and just three over the second-to-last position.

In their last 5 matches, they’ve recorded 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses, with an average of 1 goal scored and 1.2 conceded per match. Looking ahead to the match against Atletico Madrid, the home factor could prove decisive as Espanyol have earned 23 of their 28 total points at the RCDE Stadium (6 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses). Their last home defeat was back on October 25, 0-2 against Sevilla.

Atletico Madrid's Recent Form and Statistics

It’s been a tough period for Diego Simeone's men, who have lost 3 of their last 5 matches across all competitions. In the last La Liga match, they suffered a heavy 4-2 home defeat against Barcelona, despite initially leading 2-0 with goals from Alvarez and Sorloth.

In their last 5 La Liga matches, Atletico Madrid have registered 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, with 8 goals scored and 7 conceded. Away from home, they’ve earned 22 of their 56 total points (6 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses) and are the team with the fewest goals conceded in the league: just 10 goals in 13 matches.

Prediction for Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid and Tactical Overview

Both teams arrive at this match in full strength, although, as often happens after the international break, the physical condition of some players returning from South America will need to be evaluated. However, it seems unlikely that Simeone will be without his many Argentine players such as Alvarez, De Paul, Molina, and Giuliano Simeone, the latter having just scored his first goal for the national team against Brazil.

Matches between Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, despite the difference in technical quality, are often balanced, as shown by the three draws in their last 3 encounters, including the 0-0 in the first leg. Excluding the goalless match on August 28th, the previous 6 meetings have seen both teams score at least one goal.

In line with the tradition of this fixture, the BetMines algorithm’s prediction for the Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid match suggests that both teams will score at least one goal, with Atletico Madrid being the favorites for the win.

• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid match predicts that both teams will score at least one goal at 56%
• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid match predicts that at least one of the two teams will not score at 44%

Predicted Lineups Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid

Espanyol (4-1-2-1-2): Joan Garcia; El Hilali, Kumbulla, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Pol Lozano; Jofre Carreras, Urko Gonzalez; Kral; Javi Puado, Veliz. Coach: Gonzalez

Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Nahuel Molina, Jose Maria Gimenez, Le Normand, Javi Galan; Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, De Paul, Gallagher; Griezmann, Julian Alvarez. Coach: Simeone