Real Sociedad vs Espanyol
2nd July 1900hrs
Football – Spain – La Liga
Pick Real Sociedad -0.75 Asian Handicap
Bookmaker Betvictor
Odds: 11/8 odds taken 2239 GMT, Tuesday, 30th June
Espanyol just pretty much awaiting their fate of relegation back to the second tier. They are rock bottom of the table and with a massive 10 point gap between themselves and safety.
Real Seconded meanwhile have a totally different outlook on the season. They are just on the outskirts of the top six and so have everything to play for.
They need to snap themselves out of a massive slump of form that they are on however. But they won’t get a better chance in which to do it, than this.
Table of Contents
Real Sociedad Preview – Can Sociedad see off relegation-bound Espanyol?
Four straight losses is where Real Sociedad’s season is at the moment. It has been one point from their five games since returning to action.
This season Real Sociedad have taken a W8 D3 L5 record on home soil and they are winless in three there.
They have lost their last two home games, both by a one-goal margin against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo.
The goal output of Real Sociedad at home this season hasn’t been all that bad, having netted an average of 1.8 goals per home game.
69% of their home league fixtures have made it over the 2.5 goals line, Sociedad claiming a clean sheet in 31% of home games.
Of the eight wins that they have secured at home in this campaign, six of them have been by a margin of at least two goals.
62% of Real Sociedad’s home goals this season have been scored in the second half of games.
One issue with them is that they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven league outings, home and away combined.
As a positive however, there are only three teams currently who have scored more goals in the division than Real Sociedad have done.
Real Sociedad have beaten Espanyol twice this season already, once in the league and once in the Copa del Rey. Both wins were by a two-goal margin.
Espanyol Preview – Little hope for Espanyol
There is next to no hope for Espanyol currently with the state of play. They are 10 points away from safety.
Only 6 games (including this one) remain in this season so they are heading back down to the second tier, more likely than not.
It is a three match losing streak that Espanyol are currently on in the Spanish top flight.
In their five games since the league resumed, Espanyol have scored just three goals, failing to score in three of those five fixtures.
The way form of Espanyol reads W3 D4 L9 for the campaign and they are winless in six on the road (D2 L4).
There has been a real shortage of goals from Espanyol who have averaged just 0.69 goals per road game.
As for the goals that have gone against them, they are averaging 1.44 per road game, far better than their home record.
It may be worth pushing for the half time draw here though as Espanyol have been level at the break in 10 of their away games.
The half time draw option is at 21/20 currently* (odds taken 2239 GMT, Tuesday, 30th June).
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Espanyol have now failed to score in any of their last three away games.
Six of their last seven out on the road in La Liga have ended under 2.5 goals.
Those are strong indications about which way, on paper at least, this game should go.
The away side, who have the second-worst offensive record in La Liga currently, may find themselves easily picked off.
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol Betting Advice
We only see the home win happening here and we would back it to be by a two-goal margin at 9/2 (odds taken 2239 GMT, Tuesday, 30th June).
Their two successes over Espanyol in this campaign have been by that exact margin, and the trend with their home wins is at that as well.
Key Facts – Real Sociedad vs Espanyol Betting Tip
- Real Sociedad are on a 4 match losing streak
- Real Sociedad have beaten Espanyol twice this season (cup and league)
- Espanyol have failed to score in their last 3 away games
Espanyol’s season is all over but for the formalities. They probably are not going to get safe nor offer up much resistance in this one.
They are not posing any kind of an offensive threat at the moment and even though Real Sociedad’s form is in the gutter, a comfortable home win looks right.
The best betting odds for Real Sociedad vs Espanyol
Real Sociedad to win: 19/20 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Espanyol to win: 3/1 at Bet365
