Real Madrid aims to enter Camp Nou with a spark of life in La Liga. To do that, they must beat Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabéu and hope Barcelona drops points the following day.
The team from Madrid clings to a thin thread of hope for the domestic title. A win this Saturday at home would keep them close enough in the league table, while also avoiding any further slip ups that could widen the gap to the leaders. Carlo Ancelotti is dealing with a notable absence, as Karim Benzema misses the match in anticipation of the Champions League round of 16 clash with Liverpool.
Espanyol arrives at the Bernabéu just two points clear of relegation, meaning they will fight hard to stay up in the top flight. Their danger man is Joselu Mato, a former Madrid player who has been among the league’s top scorers this season.
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Reactions to Real Madrid vs. Espanyol
After the final whistle, players and coaches share their thoughts on the game and its implications for the season.
Minute by minute
Rest period.
Minute 39. Militao heads in from a clever pass by Tchouaméni, stamping a goal with a powerful header.
Minute 31. Yellow card shown to Vinícius for a foul that disrupts a fast break.
Minute 30. Vinícius nearly adds another, as Espanyol blocks a shot from close range inside the area.
Minute 24. Pacheco denies Rodrygo with a hard shot saved by the Espanyol keeper.
Minute 22. Vinícius puts Madrid level with a determined finish to the far post, echoing moments against Liverpool earlier in the season.
Minute 18. Cabrera is booked for a foul on Rodrygo.
Minute 14. Vinícius Souza tests the goalkeeper with a free kick, deflected for a corner by Courtois.
Minute 13. Camavinga sends a cross that Pacheco handles confidently.
Minute 7. Joselu opens the scoring after a long ball to Rubén Sánchez, Camavinga misreads the danger and the ball lands at Joselu’s feet for a top-corner finish. Espanyol leads early.
Minute 2. Militao makes a crucial intervention to deny Braithwaite a shooting opportunity, clearing the danger at the last moment.
Minute 1. The match begins.
12:48 — Teams head to the tunnel for final tactical instructions before kickoff.
13:30 — Players begin warming up on the Bernabéu pitch.
13:15 — Goalkeepers from both sides are already on the field warming up.
13:00 — Espanyol confirm their starting XI with Denis Suárez on the bench.
12:00 — Real Madrid lineup confirmed. Rüdiger, Ceballos, and Asensio unavailable.
The GOAL preview for Real Madrid vs Espanyol
- Real Madrid have won 15 of their last 17 La Liga encounters with Espanyol, drawing two. They have dominated this fixture historically, scoring 387 goals in the series and holding a strong home record.
- At home, Real Madrid have won their last eight La Liga meetings with Espanyol, averaging nearly three goals per game and keeping a remarkable seven clean sheets. They can extend their longest home winning streak against Espanyol in the top division to nine if they hold form.
- Espanyol has not lost their last two visits to Madrid-based teams in La Liga, returning with a win or draw in the most recent fixtures after a run of defeats in previous seasons.
- Real Madrid have drawn their previous two league matches, and a third draw would be a rarity for them in this competition in recent years.
- Espanyol has won two of their last four trips to Madrid in La Liga, with several close games indicating a stubborn away performance.
- Since La Liga resumed after the World Cup, Espanyol has shown a higher-than-average success rate, while Real Madrid has lagged comparatively in results during that span.
- Real Madrid have been potent from outside the box, ranking near the top in goals from distance this season, reflecting a long-range threat that challenges defenses early in the game.
- Karim Benzema has consistently influenced matches against Espanyol in La Liga, contributing goals and assists across multiple fixtures.
- Joselu Mato has a strong scoring record against Real Madrid in the league, making him a constant worry for the Madrid defense whenever he plays against them.
- Espanyol’s coach has faced Real Madrid on several occasions without securing a win, highlighting Madrid’s historical difficulty in breaking them down in such matchups.
Where to watch Real Madrid vs Espanyol
Lineups
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rüdiger, Nacho/Camavinga; Fede Valverde, Tchouaméni, Kroos/Ceballos; Asensio, Rodrygo, Vinícius.
Espanyol (4-3-3): Pacheco; Oscar Gil, Montes, Sergi Gómez, Cabrera; Vinícius Souza, Sergi Darder; Javi Puado, Denis Suárez, Braithwaite; Joselu Mato.
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Citation: Goal