FC Luzern V Espanyol Betting Tips: Espanyol – 8 August 2019

La Liga side should prove too strong for average Swiss outfit

Europa League Tips

Luzern V Espanyol

Thursday 8th August 2019 – 20:00 Kick-Off
UEFA Europa League Third Round
Pick: Espanyol WIN
Odds: 5/7
Bookmaker: MoPlay

1 X 2
41/10 57/20 3/5

* (All betting odds displayed were correct as of August 6th 2019 at 12:55)

Preview: Espanyol make the trip from Spain to Switzerland for this Europa League third round clash with FC Luzern. The Swiss hosts will no doubt be buoyed by their success in the previous round but will also know they have been presented with a tricky challenge here, facing a team from La Liga that have already hit a team for seven goals in the competition.

UEFA Europa League betting with 22Bet

 

Luzern Preview – Home advantage critical to their chances of progression?

It might have taken numerous attempts but FC Luzern finally had something to celebrate in the Europa League when defeating Ki Klaksvik of the Faroe Islands. The 2-0 aggregate scoreline in the previous round marked the first occasion in the club’s history it had successfully progressed over two legs in the competition, failing to do so in six previous efforts. Can the Swiss outfit build on some rare winning momentum in Europe?

That seems unlikely on the face of it. Their opponents in the round prior weren’t of the highest standard and were, arguably, the weakest team Luzern have faced so far. This match-up with a team from Spain is a significant step up. Possibly more so than when they came up against Greece’s Olympiakos in last season’s qualifying rounds only to be thrashed 7-1 on aggregate.

Luzern fell to a 3-1 loss to the Greeks in Switzerland, although that was something of an outlier amidst their recent home form on the continent. The team nicknamed Die Leuchten were previously unbeaten in four home European matches, having recorded positives outcomes against Genk (W2-1) in 2012, St Johnstone (1-1) in 2014, Sassuolo (1-1) in 2016 and Osijek (W2-1) in 2017. Clearly, then, their better work is carried out back home.

That does appear to apply primarily in Europe, though. In the Swiss Super League, Luzern produced some rather ordinary numbers inside their Swissporarena (W7 D1 L10, GF29 GA32 at home in 2018/19) to finish down in 5th position. Fittingly, they currently occupy that same position three games into the new season and were beaten 1-0 away by Servette at the weekend.

Espanyol WIN & BTTS
11/4

Bet365

 

Espanyol Preview – La Liga side should make their superior quality count?

The club are experiencing its first taste of European football since 2007 but made extremely light work of their opening opponents, comprehensively beaten Iceland’s Stjarnan home (4-0) and away (1-3) to rack up a 7-1 aggregate scoreline. That emphatic margin of victory was nothing less than most people expected, though, with this third round clash likely to pose them more of a problem.

Espanyol should be feeling quietly confident about their prospects, however, with the club boasting more resources and hailing from a league containing considerably greater talent and more sustained competition. However, Periquitos, as they are affectionately known, were only the seventh-best side in Spain’s La Liga last term, while the bulk of their better form was undoubtedly on display in home fixtures.

Just five teams finished the 2018/19 league season in Spain registering fewer points on their travels than Espanyol, whose tally of three away wins is in sharp contrast to the eleven earned at their RCDE Stadium. An away record of W3 D8 L8, GF20 GA28 hardly makes for a compelling case in point as to why the visiting side in this match-up should be supported from a betting standpoint.

However, the Spaniards did at least finish the campaign with some encouraging form on the road. Espanyol ended the season unbeaten in nine league games overall, a run consisting of four away results (W2 D2). In fact, a 2-0 loss at local rivals Barcelona was the only defeat incurred from their final eight away matches (W2 D5 L1). Granted winning displays were still very much at a premium.

 

Luzern V Espanyol Key Facts:

  • Luzern have lost one of previous five matches as hosts in Europa League (W2 D2 L1).
  • Espanyol finished last season’s La Liga losing just one of their final eight away matches (W2 D5 L1).
  • In the previous round, Luzern beat Ki Klaksvik 2-0 on aggregate while Espanyol thumped Stjarnan 7-1.

 

Betting Summary

Luzern had never been victorious over two legs in this competition before doing so in the preceding round. However, that was against far more obliging opponents than that which awaits them here. The Swiss side have often maximised home advantage to good effect in the past and were unbeaten in four games as the home side in Europe (W2 D2) before losing to Olympiakos last season.

Espanyol netted seven times in the previous round, against very generous opponents it must be said. They were the seventh-best team in Spain last time around and could only produce figures of W3 D8 L8 away from home, although did end the campaign encouragingly when losing just one of their final eight away fixtures (W2 D5 L1).

Notoriously poor travellers they most definitely were in 2018/19 but it is, nevertheless, difficult to oppose Espanyol when all that awaits them in Switzerland is the fifth strongest team in the country. Luzern actually fell to more defeats at home (10) than they managed to record wins (7) in the Swiss Super League. So the visitors are the selection here. The price of the Spanish side can be boosted to 7/4 with BetFed when paired with over 2.5 goals.