Struggling Espanyol host Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid on Saturday with both teams in need of points for different reasons.
By Graham Ruthven
It’s happening again
We’ve been here before. How many times have Real Madrid slogged through the first half of a season before finding top gear in the new year? On the basis of their recent form, Los Blancos are repeating their favourite trick.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team will arrive in Barcelona to take on Espanyol this weekend on the back of five straight wins in all competitions. Since losing to Barca in the Spanish Supercopa, Real Madrid have scored 20 goals, averaging four goals a game.
Sitting four points clear at the top of LaLiga, Saturday’s match is an opportunity for Real Madrid to put further distance between themselves and Barcelona who don’t face Alavés until Sunday afternoon. By then, the gap between the rivals could be 10 points.
While Espanyol are scrapping against the threat of relegation, Manolo’s team have lost just one of their last six matches. They’ve also won just once over this stretch, but Los Periquitos have become harder to beat in recent weeks.
Nonetheless, Real Madrid will present a different sort of test. This is a match that could have significant bearing on the top and bottom of the table.
Key players
Javi Puado could pose the biggest goal threat for Espanyol against the LaLiga table-toppers with veteran defender Leandro Cabrera charged with stopping Real Madrid in the other direction.
Carlos Romero is a key outlet down the left side, although the 23-year-old could be forced into the left back position due to the injury to Brian Oliván. This could have an impact on Espanyol’s ability to get out from the back.
Concerns over Kylian Mbappé’s place in the Real Madrid forward line have well and truly faded away. The Frenchman has scored eight goals in his last six games in all competitions including a hat-trick in last week’s comfortable away win over Real Valladolid. This is now Mbappé’s team.
Rodrygo has similarly been in excellent form of late, registering seven goal involvements in his last four outings. The Brazilian has been playing on the left side and so he will likely be shifted to the right wing now that Vinícius Júnior is back from suspension.
Jude Bellingham is thriving in the free role he has been given by Ancelotti with the England international back to his box-crashing best, scoring in the mid-week Champions League win over Brest.
Team news
José Gragera and Salvi Sanchez will miss out through injury for Espanyol this weekend while Oliván is a doubt after being forced off against Sevilla in the Catalans’ last league outing.
Roberto Fernández could be in line for a debut after joining on loan from Braga in the transfer window.
Vinícius will make his return from suspension after missing the last two LaLiga matches following his red card against Valencia at the start of January.
David Alaba is still working his way back to full fitness after missing 13 months of action through injury while Éder Militão remains a long-term absentee. Dani Ceballos is also expected to be sidelined for this weekend’s trip to Catalonia.
Prediction
Espanyol are becoming harder to beat but once Madrid get going on a run like the one they are currently on, Ancelotti’s side are near-impossible to stop: Espanyol 0-2 Real Madrid.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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