Bottom of the table and still searching for a first win, Malaga welcome Espanyol to the Estadio La Rosaleda on Friday 9 October, with kick-off at 8pm UK time. Both sides return from a 21-day international break off the back of defeats, and only four points separate them in the La Liga standings. Below, we break down the form, team news and the best bets for this Matchday 8 clash.
Anthony Eadson’s Malaga vs Espanyol predictions, best bets and score prediction are below.
Premium Tips
Anthony Eadson has picked out two Premium Tips for Malaga vs Espanyol, built around Espanyol’s volume of shots and Malaga’s struggles in front of goal.
| Premium Tip | Odds | Why we’re backing it |
|---|---|---|
| Espanyol draw no bet | 17/20 (William Hill) | Malaga are still waiting for their first league win of the season, having failed to win any of their seven games, including all three at La Rosaleda. They have scored just three goals and drawn a blank in four of those seven. Espanyol, by contrast, have scored in every league game, and every one of their seven matches has produced at least two goals. Roberto Fernandez leads the way with six goals and has had at least two shots in every game. Draw no bet offers a safety net if Malaga finally pick up a point, and 17/20 looks the value. |
| Espanyol to win to nil | 18/5 (William Hill) | Malaga’s biggest problem is at the other end of the pitch. Juanfran Funes’s side have scored just three La Liga goals in seven matches, one of them a Chupe penalty, and they have failed to score in four of those games. They have also managed only 14 shots on target all season, an average of two per match, while their combined expected goals sit at 5.70. Espanyol, for their part, kept clean sheets in the 3-0 win over Levante and the 2-0 victory at Osasuna. With Espanyol also winning their last two trips to La Rosaleda 1-0, William Hill’s 18/5 stands out. |
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware — gambleaware.org · Odds correct at time of publishing.
How Malaga go into the game
Malaga are still waiting for their first La Liga win of the season, sitting 20th on three points from seven games. Last time out, they lost 1-0 at Getafe on 20 September, which followed a 3-1 home defeat to Villarreal in which Carlos Dotor scored their only goal. Before that, Adrian Nino struck in the 83rd minute to earn a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo, while they drew 0-0 with Levante and 1-1 with Deportivo La Coruna at home. Real Madrid beat them 4-0 and Atletico Madrid won 2-0, leaving Malaga with three goals scored and 12 conceded.
Juanfran Funes has a lengthy absentee list to work around. Diego Murillo and Aaron Ochoa both have meniscus injuries, with Ochoa not expected back until November, and Julen Lobete has ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament. Jens Cajuste is also out with a quad problem, while Moussa Diarra is a doubt. Up front, David Larrubia has taken 12 shots in seven appearances, although he is yet to score, while Chupe and Adrian Nino have one goal each. Meanwhile, Malaga have taken just two points from their three home games.
How Espanyol go into the game
Espanyol sit 15th on seven points and arrive in Andalusia after two straight defeats. Last time out, Elche won 3-1 at the RCDE Stadium on 18 September despite playing with 10 men from the sixth minute, and Espanyol’s only goal was a Victor Chust own goal. Manolo Gonzalez described it as the “worst” game of his tenure. Three days earlier, Rayo Vallecano won 2-1 against them. Their two wins came against Levante, 3-0 at home on the opening weekend, and Osasuna, 2-0 away, while they lost 2-1 to both Real Madrid and Real Sociedad and drew 1-1 with Sevilla.
Roberto Fernandez has been the standout performer, scoring six of Espanyol’s 10 league goals and taking at least two shots in every game, which earned him a first call-up to the senior Spain squad. However, Javi Hernandez is a concern after he left the Spain Under-21 camp with muscle discomfort, which matters because the defender has four assists this season. Kike Garcia is out until November with a hamstring injury, while Jofre Carreras is a doubt. On the other hand, Omar El Hilali is available again after serving a ban for his red card at Rayo Vallecano.
Malaga vs Espanyol head-to-head
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13/05/18 | Espanyol | 4-1 | Malaga |
| 08/01/18 | Malaga | 0-1 | Espanyol |
| 04/02/17 | Malaga | 0-1 | Espanyol |
| 26/08/16 | Espanyol | 2-2 | Malaga |
This will be the first meeting between the clubs since May 2018, when Espanyol won 4-1 at home in La Liga. In fact, Espanyol are unbeaten in the last four meetings, winning three and drawing one. Their last two visits to La Rosaleda both ended in 1-0 wins, in February 2017 and January 2018, while the 2-2 draw in August 2016 is the only time Malaga avoided defeat in this run.
Malaga vs Espanyol predictions & betting tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espanyol draw no bet | 17/20 (William Hill) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Malaga are winless in all seven league games. |
| Espanyol to win to nil | 18/5 (William Hill) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Malaga have failed to score in four of seven matches |
| Roberto Fernandez to score anytime | 21/10 (Ladbrokes) | ⭐⭐ | Six goals in seven league games, scoring in four of them |
| Correct score: Malaga 0-1 Espanyol | 15/2 (bet365) | ⭐⭐ | Espanyol won their last two visits to La Rosaleda by this scoreline |
Malaga vs Espanyol score prediction
With only three goals scored all season, Malaga look short of the firepower needed to trouble an Espanyol side that has kept two clean sheets in seven games. Espanyol’s own form has dipped, but Roberto Fernandez gives them a reliable outlet, and we expect the visitors to edge a tight game at La Rosaleda. Score prediction: Malaga 0-1 Espanyol.
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