The Matchday 9 clash in La Liga between Oviedo and Espanyol will take place on October 17 at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere. Oviedo vs. Espanyol: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Oviedo
The league newcomer is struggling in the lower part of the table and is trying to avoid slipping back into the relegation zone. Before the international break, Oviedo suffered a defeat against Levante, marking their sixth loss in the first eight rounds of La Liga. This latest setback led to a change in head coach, with Luis Carrión taking over from Veljko Paunović. Notably, Oviedo has not recorded a single draw this season, and including the playoff matches, their uncompromising streak extends to 10 matches (3 wins, 7 losses). The club is currently 17th in La Liga, only ahead of Girona on goal difference. Additionally, Oviedo has the lowest scoring record in La Liga, having scored just four goals in total.
- The team has not lost in 9 of their last 12 home matches in La Liga, playoff matches, and Segunda (7 wins, 2 draws).
- The club has conceded in 12 of their last 13 games in these tournaments.
- At least one team failed to score in 6 of Oviedo's last 8 La Liga matches.
Predicted lineup for Oviedo (4-3-3)
Aaron Escandell – Rahim Alhassan, Eric Bailly, David Carmo, Lucas Ahijado – Santiago Colombatto, Leander Dendoncker, Alberto Reina – Josip Brekalo, Salomon Rondon, Haissem Hassan.
Midfielder Luka Ilic has served his suspension. Defender Alvaro Lemos is unavailable due to injury.
Espanyol
After an impressive start to the season, the team is experiencing a noticeable decline. Espanyol won 3 of their first 4 league matches, but Manolo Gonzalez's side is now winless in four consecutive games, collecting only two points during this stretch. Their last La Liga outing ended in a disappointing 2-1 loss to Betis, marking their second defeat of the season. Espanyol currently sits ninth in the league table, which is a respectable position, although just a month ago, they were third, trailing only Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- The club has scored in 7 of their last 9 La Liga matches.
- Espanyol's away winless streak in this tournament stands at 7 matches (3 draws, 4 losses).
- The Catalans have won with a +1.5 handicap in 8 of their last 9 La Liga games.
Predicted lineup for Espanyol (4-2-3-1)
Marko Dmitrovic – Clemens Riedel, Leandro Cabrera, Omar El Hilali, Carlos Romero – Edu Expósito, Pol Lozano – Tyrhys Dolan, Javi Puado, Pere Milla – Roberto Fernandez Jaen.
Main forward and team captain Javi Puado has sustained an injury.
Oviedo vs. Espanyol: Match Prediction
Oviedo has the lowest scoring record in La Liga, but they are not entirely toothless in attack. The team finds opportunities to score in nearly every game, often let down by poor finishing. Despite their struggles, the club rarely fails to score at home. Oviedo has scored at least one goal in 12 of their last 14 home matches in La Liga, playoff matches, and Segunda. Additionally, the change in head coach might provide the players with the necessary boost.
Espanyol is not in the best form, and defensive errors have been a recurring issue even at the start of the season when the club picked up 10 points in four La Liga rounds. Manolo Gonzalez's side has kept a clean sheet in only 2 of their last 8 league matches, conceding two goals in 5 of those 8 games. In away matches, the team has kept a clean sheet in just 1 of their last 7 La Liga outings.
It is likely that the hosts will find a way through the opponent's problematic defense. Prediction – Oviedo individual total over 0.5
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match in this tournament.
