Matchday 17 of La Liga will see Espanyol take on Osasuna on December 14 at the Cornella-El Prat Stadium in Barcelona. Espanyol vs. Osasuna: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Predicted lineups for Espanyol vs. Osasuna
Espanyol (4-1-4-1): Joan Garcia – Sergi Gomez, Leandro Cabrera, Brian Olivan, Omar El Hilali – Pol Lozano – Alex Kral, Jofre Carreras, Justin Smith, Javi Puado – Irvin Cardona.
Osasuna (4-3-3): Sergio Herrera – Alejandro Catena, Jesus Areso, Enzo Boyomo, Juan Cruz – Aimar Oroz, Lucas Torro, Jon Moncayola – Ruben Garcia, Ante Budimir, Abel Bretones.
The starting lineup for each team is based on their last match in this tournament.
Espanyol
At the end of November, the Catalans finally secured a victory in the league, ending a four-match losing streak by defeating Celta at home 3-1. However, in the last round, they traveled to Getafe and suffered a 0-1 defeat. Manolo Gonzalez's side remains in the bottom three but is only two points away from the safety of 17th place. It's worth noting that the club has conceded 28 goals, with only Valladolid having a worse defense in the current championship (34 goals).
- Espanyol's uncompromising streak in La Liga consists of 12 matches (4 wins and 8 losses).
- Three or more goals have been scored in 9 of the club's last 12 La Liga games.
- Both teams have scored in 9 of Espanyol's last 12 league matches.
Osasuna
In the last round, the Pamplona side dropped points at home against Alaves (2-2). Incidentally, this was their third consecutive draw in the league, having previously drawn with Sevilla (1-1) and Villarreal (2-2). Osasuna's winless streak began with a 0-4 defeat to Real Madrid. Vicente Moreno's team is in seventh place, just two points behind fifth.
Midfielder Jon Moncayola will miss the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
- At least two goals have been scored in 8 of Osasuna's last 9 La Liga games.
- In their last 11 La Liga matches, the Pamplona side has suffered only two defeats (4 wins and 5 draws).
- One team has kept a clean sheet in the first half in 8 of the club's last 9 league matches.
Espanyol vs. Osasuna: Match Prediction
The Catalans have not beaten the Pamplona side in six consecutive La Liga meetings (3 draws and 3 losses). I predict this trend will continue, as the hosts of the upcoming match have lost 8 of their last 10 league matches, winning only twice. Meanwhile, the visitors have avoided defeat in 9 of their last 11 La Liga games, losing only to strong opponents – Real Madrid and Betis.
I do not recommend betting on a straight win for Osasuna, as Espanyol is a distinctly home team, having earned 12 of their 13 points in the current La Liga season at home. The Pamplona side has lost only to Real Madrid in their last five away La Liga matches, defeating San Sebastian and drawing three times. It is crucial for the visitors to pick up points against lower-ranked teams, as failing to beat relegation zone representatives could jeopardize their chances of finishing in the European competition spots.
My prediction – Osasuna with a handicap (0)