Espanyol Vs Rayo Vallecano
Espanyol Vs Rayo Vallecano Friday, 19 August 2022 – 19:00 (BST)
Spanish La Liga
Pick: Both Teams To Score NO
Odds: 20/23
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 17 August 2022)
Preview: Last season, Rayo Vallecano were among only two teams in La Liga to do the double over Espanyol as the former prevailed 1-0 home and away. We could be in for a similar scenario on Friday night, when two teams light on attacking threat take to the pitch inside RCDE Stadium.
Spanish La Liga Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Espanyol – New coach please with fighting spirit?
After falling two goals behind at Estadio de Balaidos to Celta Vigo during the opening round, it looked for all the money in the world that Espanyol were heading for a fifth La Liga defeat in eight. The 2020-21 Segunda Division champions, however, had other ideas. Goals from Exposito and former Newcastle United frontman Joselu – the latter stroking in a 98th minute penalty – earning the visitors an unlikely 2-2 draw.
The team of Diego Martinez – who performed minor miracles in his previous role as Granada coach – were good value for their point, limiting Celta Vigo to low percentage efforts equating to 0.41 xG. However, it was also another limp attacking display from Espanyol. That last-gasp penalty seeing them score more than once in La Liga for the first time since March, but not sparing them an eighth winless outing (D4 L4).
Key Stat: There has been Under 2.5 Goals in each of the past seven La Liga home games for Espanyol. Meanwhile, of their nine home victories in 2021-22, seven were accompanied by a clean sheet.
Rayo Vallecano – Los Franjirrojos love playing in Catalonia?
Some durable pre-season form, with the obvious highlight being a 1-1 draw in Norway versus Manchester United, meant Rayo Vallecano came into their second successive season in Spain’s top tier confident they could make life difficult for their La Liga counterparts in the campaign ahead. They would waste no time demonstrating these qualities, holding Barcelona to a frustrating goalless draw at Camp Nou first time out.
As the fixture compiler would have it, Andoni Iraola and his team are back in Barcelona for Matchday 2. Los Franjirrojos return to the ground in which a 1-0 scoreline, in March of this year, completed a league double over opponents Espanyol, who were also downed in Madrid by the same scoreline. The likelihood a repeat result is complicated, however, by Vallecano’s ongoing six-game La Liga winless run (D3 L3).
Key Stat: Since their promotion back to the top division of Spanish football ahead of the 2021-22 season, Rayo Vallecano have scored no more than one goal in 17 of 20 away league games, and just 13 in total (0.65 per game).
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Espanyol Vs Rayo Vallecano Betting Advice
A low scoring renewal of a fixture which produced 1-0 scorelines across their pair of league meetings in the previous season, both in favour of Rayo Vallecano, would appear to be in the offing. Espanyol went 11 league games without notching more than one goal prior to drawing 2-2 at Celta Vigo on Matchday 1 of this season, and have seen eighth consecutive La Liga fixtures at their RCDE Stadium fall Under 2.5 Goals.
Espanyol Vs Ray Vallecano – Key Facts:
- Rayo Vallecano have yet to concede across three visits to the Barcelona region (1-0 win and 0-0 draw vs Barcelona, 1-0 win vs Espanyol) since their return to La Liga last season. They’ve won on their previous two visits to Espanyol.
- Neither were victorious during the opening round of La Liga 2022-23. Espanyol came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Celta Vigo while Rayo Vallecano backed up their 1-0 win over Barcelona at Camp Nou last season by drawing 0-0 there this season.
- If Espanyol are to avenge last season’s league double, one suspects a clean sheet will be required. Seven of Espanyol’s nine home wins last season were ‘to nil’. Meanwhile, of Rayo Vallecano’s 12 away losses last term, eight were without scoring.
Furthermore, Rayo Vallecano were anything but reliable last term when it came to scoring on the road. The Madrid-based outfit registered a paltry 13 strikes across 19 La Liga games, resulting in just 37% of said fixtures seeing three goals or more. Friday’s visitors will also be emboldened by last week’s 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou. That a ninth away game in 12 for Vallencano not seeing both teams among the goals.
Best Betting Odds – Espanyol Vs Rayo Vallecano
Espanyol – 13/10 (Bet365)
Draw – 11/5 (BetVictor)
Rayo Vallecano – 12/5 (Boylesports)
