The Matchday 1 clash in La Liga between Espanyol and Atletico Madrid will take place on August 17 at the Cornella-El Prat Stadium in Barcelona. Espanyol vs. Atletico Madrid: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Espanyol
Manolo Gonzalez's side finished last season in 14th place. The team narrowly avoided relegation to the Segunda Division, securing safety with a victory over Las Palmas (2-0) in the final round. Notably, before that, the Catalans had a five-match losing streak in La Liga. It's also worth mentioning that in none of their last four top-flight campaigns in Spain have they finished higher than 14th. During their preseason, Espanyol played six friendly matches and remained unbeaten (4 wins and 2 draws).
During the offseason, the club sold their main goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The only purchase was forward Roberto Fernandez. Some players were also signed on loan or as free agents.
- Exactly two or three goals were scored in 6 of the last 7 home games of the Catalans in La Liga.
- Espanyol has not lost in 11 of their last 13 home league matches (5 wins and 6 draws).
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in 11 of their last 13 home games in La Liga.
Predicted lineup for Espanyol (4-3-3)
Angel Fortuno – Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Carlos Romero, Pablo Ramon – Ramon Terrats, Edu Exposito, Pol Lozano – Antonio Roca, Roberto Fernandez Jaen, Javi Puado.
Midfielder Javi Hernandez is sidelined due to injury.
Atletico Madrid
The capital club finished third in La Liga once again. For the last four seasons, Diego Simeone's side has not risen above this position, trailing behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. In the previous campaign, the team impressed defensively, conceding only 30 goals (the second-best record after Athletic). Atletico also suffered only 6 defeats in the league (matched by three other clubs). In the summer, the team participated in the Club World Cup but failed to progress from the group stage, and also played two friendlies. The results were a defeat to Porto (0-1) and a victory over Newcastle (2-0).
During the offseason, the club loaned out or sold several players: midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Arthur Vermeeren, as well as forwards Samuel Lino, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Angel Correa. The team was bolstered by defenders David Gantzko and Matteo Ruggeri, midfielders Johnny Cardoso and Thiago Almada, and forward Alex Baena.
- At least one team failed to score in 6 of the last 7 matches of Atletico in La Liga.
- Atletico has not lost in 8 of their last 10 league matches (6 wins and 2 draws).
- The club has not scored more than one goal in 7 of their last 10 away matches in La Liga.
Predicted lineup for Atletico Madrid (3-4-3)
Jan Oblak – Javi Galan, Robin Le Normand, Clement Lenglet – Marcos Llorente, Koke, Conor Gallagher, Alex Baena – Alexander Sorloth, Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone.
Defender Jose Maria Gimenez is unavailable due to injury.
Referee
Mateo Busquets (Spain)
Matches – 19 (La Liga, 2024/2025);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 104;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.4;
Red cards shown – 7;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 26%.
Match Prediction: Espanyol vs. Atletico Madrid
The capital club will find it challenging to defeat this opponent. Despite poor performances last season, the Catalans performed well at home, where they earned 71% of their points. Meanwhile, Atletico struggled in the latter half of last season, winning only two of their last seven away matches in La Liga, with only one victory by more than one goal.
Espanyol, on the other hand, has only lost by two goals in two of their last 21 home matches in La Liga. Additionally, in the last seven head-to-head encounters in the league, Atletico has never won convincingly. It's also worth noting the head-to-head statistics in Barcelona: in the last seven meetings at Cornella-El Prat in La Liga, Atletico has only won twice – both by a narrow margin.
Therefore, my prediction: Espanyol with a handicap (+1)
