Espanyol vs Real Madrid, La Liga 2024-25: H2H Record, Playing XI, Key Facts

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Real Madrid aim for their 16th La Liga victory of the 2024-25 season as they visit Espanyol on Saturday night. While Los Blancos seek to extend their lead at the top, Espanyol are desperate for points to climb out of the relegation zone.

Madrid sit four points clear of Atletico Madrid after 21 matches, while Espanyol occupy 18th place, trailing Alaves by one point in the battle for survival. Despite their struggles, Espanyol have shown resilience at home, making this an intriguing contest for both sides.

Espanyol vs Real Madrid Head to Head Stats

Espanyol vs Real Madrid Team News

Espanyol

Espanyol remain without Salvi Sanchez and Jose Gragera due to injuries, while Brian Olivan is a major doubt after going off early against Sevilla. Carlos Romero is expected to start at left-back, replacing Olivan. New signing Roberto Fernandez is likely to feature in attack alongside Javi Puado.

Real Madrid

For Real Madrid, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal are still sidelined with long-term injuries, while Eduardo Camavinga has a chance to return from a muscle problem. Vinicius Junior is back from suspension and should start on the left, with Rodrygo moving to the right. Raul Asencio may return in central defense, allowing Aurelien Tchouameni to push into midfield, as David Alaba remains unavailable.

Espanyol vs Real Madrid Full Squad

Espanyol: Joan Garcia, Fernando Pacheco, Angel Fortuno, Llorenc Serred, Pol Tristan, Pablo Ramon, Sergi Gomez, Marash Kumbulla, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Alvaro Tejero, Brian Olivan, Carlos Romero, Omar El Hilali, Jose Luis Catala Vazquez, Jose Angel Lopez, Edu Exposito, Pol Lozano, Pere Milla, Jose Gragera, Alvaro Aguado, Urko Gonzalez, Alex Kral, Rafael Bauza, Justin Smith, Roberto Fernandez, Javier Puado, Alejo Veliz, Walid Cheddira, Jofre Carreras, Antoniu Roca, Omar Sadik, Alex Almansa

Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Fran Gonzalez, Sergio Mestre, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Jesus Vallejo, Fran Garcia, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, Youssef Lekhedim, Jacobo Ramon, Raul Asencio, David Jimenez, Lorenzo Aguado, Diego Aguado, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Luka Modric, Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Lucas Vazquez, Dani Ceballos, Brahim Diaz, Chema Andres, Hugo De Llanos, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, Endrick, Gonzalo Garcia, Daniel Yanez, Victor Munoz, Pol Fortuny

Espanyol vs Real Madrid Key Aspects

Espanyol returned to La Liga through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, and securing a spot above 18th would be seen as a success. They have only lost once in their last six league matches but have won just once in that span, a crucial victory over Real Valladolid.

The Catalan side held Sevilla to a 1-1 draw last time out and remain unbeaten at home in La Liga since October. However, they have suffered four straight league defeats against Real Madrid, including a 4-1 loss earlier this season, though they did beat them at home in October 2021.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid come into this fixture on the back of a dominant 3-0 Champions League win over Brest. They also secured a 3-0 victory against Real Valladolid in La Liga, extending their points tally to 49 with a record of 15 wins, four draws, and two losses.

Carlo Ancelotti's team boasts a five-match winning streak, scoring 20 goals in that period. With a Copa del Rey quarter-final against Leganes approaching, this is a crucial phase for the Spanish giants. Their away form has been strong, but Espanyol's home resilience could pose a challenge.

Espanyol vs Real Madrid Predicted XI

Espanyol Probable XI: J Garcia; El Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Romero; Carreras, Kral, Lozano, Tejero; Puado, Fernandez

Real Madrid Probable XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius