Espanyol vs Alaves Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Spanish Primera
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This weekend’s clash at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona features a newly-promoted Espanyol side welcoming a Deportivo Alaves side that are expected to struggle alongside Espanyol throughout this campaign.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 14th September, 2024 - UK – 3:15pm / US ET – 10:15am / US PT – 7:15am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Espanyol vs Alaves may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
ESPANYOL PREVIEW: TOUGH START
Following promotion last season, Luis Garcia departed Espanyol to assist Tintin Marquez with the Qatari national team and he was replaced by B team coach Manolo Gonzalez. As the fourth best team in the second division last season, it is expected to be a struggle this year and it has been an underwhelming start to the campaign.
They began with a slender 1-0 defeat to Real Valladolid on the opening weekend, who came up with them last season. They then lost to Real Sociedad at home before a respectable goalless draw against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. After that, though, they did go into the international break on the back of a 2-1 defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano.
ALAVES PREVIEW: BASQUE BOUNCE
Last season, Deportivo Alaves comfortably survived in their first season back in top-flight and a bright end to the season saw them even squeeze into the top-half of La Liga under the management of Luis Garcia Plaza – despite the manager coming under significant pressure and the subject of rumours of being sacked mid-way through the campaign.
The Basque club have started the 2024/25 campaign on the back of a bright start in which they have collected seven points from four matches. They started with one point from two games but went into the September international break on the back of back-to-back victories against Real Sociedad and then Las Palmas.
ESPANYOL TEAM NEWS: CAPTAIN STILL OUT
Espanyol captain and former Uruguay international defender Leandro Cabrera remains a key absentee for Manolo Gonzalez with him missing due to a muscular injury.
As well as Leandro Cabrera, the home team are also missing Fernando Calero as well as key central midfielder Edu Exposito for this one.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Joan Garcia; El Hilali, Sergi Gomez, Kumbulla, Brian Olivan; Jorge Carreras, Kral, Jorge Gragera, Carlos Romero; Javi Puado, Veliz
UNAVAILABLE: Fernando Calero (Injured), Leandro Cabrera (Injured), Edo Exposito (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
ALAVES TEAM NEWS: POTENTIAL DEBUTANT
Luis Garcia Plaza, who was often under pressure, will have the pleasure and blessing of being able to name an unchanged eleven for this weekend against Espanyol.
The Basque side may well, though, hand a debut to former West Ham United midfielder Joan Jordan this weekend with the Spaniard joining on loan from Sevilla before the deadline.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Antonio Sivera; Nahuel Tenaglia, Abqar, Sedlar, Manu Sanchez; Carlos Vicente, Joan Jordan, Antonio Blanco, Conechny; Stoichkov, Kike
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
ESPANYOL VS ALAVES PREDICTION
Spanish football has been awash with coaches seeking to replicate the underdog spirit of ‘Cholismo’ with Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. That has been the case at different times for both Espanyol and Alaves and that might lead to quite a low-scoring encounter at the RCDE Stadium between two sides that went into the break on the back of good results and it could well be that both sides are content with a point in Catalonia.
ESPANYOL VS ALAVES TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
