- Real Madrid’s last away fixtures have ended in a draw and a defeat
- Espanyol have failed to win in their last two home fixtures, drawing one and losing one
- Real Madrid have won three of the last four LaLiga head-to-head games, with Espanyol winning once and no ties
Espanyol won’t lie down against Real
RCD Espanyol will put up a tough game for Real Madrid when they play at the RCDE Stadium in LaLiga on Sunday. Manolo Gonzalez’s side are a team that operates on process rather than star quality and they have become very tough to break down at home since the coach took over in March 2024.
The RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid preview highlights how Espanyol set up in a 4-2-3-1 system that transitions into a back three when they have the ball at home and they are not afraid to play high up the field when they win it back. Their approach is based on structure, set pieces, and verticality, which can be effective against less structured teams.
Kike Garcia is their leading scorer in LaLiga with six goals in 32 appearances and they will need him to be on his game against a Madrid side that can score from all over the field. This RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid prediction takes into account that their recent results have not been good with two draws and three defeats in their last five, although their two most recent results were a 1-0 away defeat to Rayo Vallecano and a 0-0 home draw with Levante.
Madrid have more attacking firepower
Real Madrid are a club that have a fluid tactical approach under Alvaro Arbeloa, who was appointed as coach in January 2026. They can play high lines, overload wide areas and trust their many talented individuals to unlock defences.
Kylian Mbappe has been the star of the show lately with 24 goals in 28 games in the league, while Vinicius Junior has been in clinical form with four in his last five. The current RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid prediction considers that Madrid are second in the LaLiga standings on 74 points from 33 games with Espanyol 13th on 39.
Their recent form has not been quite as good as usual with two wins, two draws and one defeat in their last five. Madrid drew 1-1 with Girona at home, edged Alaves 2-1 at the Bernabeu and were held to a 1-1 tie at Real Betis in their most recent away game.
Los Blancos can come out on top
Real Madrid’s away record in LaLiga this season is nine wins, four draws and three defeats in 16 games, which translates to an average of 1.81 goals per game scored and 1.06 per game conceded. Espanyol have won six, drawn four and lost six at home, averaging 1.12 goals per home game.
Our RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid prediction is that there is a good chance Madrid will not get the win here as Espanyol have not lost to Los Blancos at this venue in their most recent encounter, so an away win at 1.84 looks a lot. But there will be goals on Sunday as both teams to score is 1.52 and over 2.5 goals is the same price, so I’m backing Madrid to edge out a win in a game where both teams hit the net and chances flow at both ends. For those looking at this match from a wagering perspective, our RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid betting tips recommend considering both teams to score and a Madrid win in a high-scoring encounter.
