Real Madrid host Espanyol as the La Liga champions seek another home victory.
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Real Madrid vs Espanyol odds
Find the latest match odds for Real Madrid vs Espanyol. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football bookmakers. Odds are subject to change.
Quick Real Madrid vs Espanyol betting tips
Real Madrid -2.5 handicap – 5/4 with CopyBet
Real Madrid to win second half to nil – 4/6 with CopyBet
Endrick to score any time – 11/10 with CopyBet
Real Madrid vs Espanyol predictions
Real Madrid have not had everything their own way at the start of the 2024/25 season.
There is always pressure at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but perhaps even more so this term given Madrid are the reigning Spanish and European champions who signed arguably the best player in the world in Kylian Mbappe over the summer.
Yet Carlo Ancelotti’s team hit the ground trudging, drawing two of their first three La Liga games with Real Mallorca and Las Palmas.
Madrid at least responded well to those setbacks, beating both Real Betis and Real Sociedad 2-0. They then kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Stuttgart on Tuesday, but again they had to work hard for all three points.
The score was locked at 1-1 until the 83rd minute, when Antonio Rudiger edged the hosts ahead in the Spanish capital. Endrick then added gloss to the scoreline deep into second-half stoppage time, as the 18-year-old became Madrid’s youngest ever scorer in continental competition.
Stuttgart were a match for Madrid for most of the encounter. They had more possession than their illustrious opponents and landed just one fewer shot on target.
Yet Ancelotti will have been pleased with the resilience and character his team showed. This Madrid side never knows when it is beaten, especially in the Champions League, and it is definitely not a coincidence that they win so many matches late on.
Attention now turns back to La Liga, where Madrid are four points behind Barcelona going into gameweek six. That is not a significant margin at this early stage of proceedings, but the Blancos will not want to fall much further behind their arch-rivals, whom they are due to face for the first time this season on October 27.
Madrid have back-to-back home games against Espanyol and Alaves on the horizon in the next few days, before they make the short trip across the city to face Atletico Madrid next weekend.
That will be a tough test for Ancelotti’s side. A point at the Civitas Metropolitano would not be a bad result, but only if Madrid do not slip up this weekend or in midweek.
Real Madrid vs Espanyol betting tips. 18+ GambleAware.org – Please play responsibly.
Real Madrid vs Espanyol betting tips
Real Madrid are strong favourites to get the better of Espanyol in La Liga this weekend.
Real Madrid -2.5 handicap – 5/4 (CopyBet)
Espanyol have shown signs of life of late following a poor start to the La Liga campaign. They collected just one point from the first nine on offer in Spain, before climbing into the top half of the table after back-to-back triumphs over Rayo Vallecano and Alaves.
With all due respect to both of those teams, though, Real Madrid are a different kettle of fish entirely.
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Ancelotti seems to have found a better balance in the last few weeks. Madrid are still not as fluent as the manager would like, but that will come in time. The loss of Toni Kroos should not be underestimated either.
Still, Madrid have the quality to win this match without too much of a fuss. They are very strong at home and have a good chance of triumphing by at least a three-goal margin this weekend.
Back Real Madrid with a -2.5 handicap at 5/4 with CopyBet
Real Madrid to win second half to nil – 4/6 (CopyBet)
Real Madrid did not always come flying out of the blocks in the first half last season, but their record after the break was superb.
They were particularly dominant in second halves at home, winning 16 out of 19 and conceding only four goals along the way.
Madrid were pushed hard by Stuttgart in midweek. The aftereffects of that match, plus the fact that Ancelotti looks set to make one or two changes to his team on Saturday, means Madrid might not be bang at it from the get-go.
By the time they have warmed up, though, Madrid should be able to keep Espanyol away from their goal.
Tip Real Madrid to win the second half to nil at 4/6 with CopyBet
Endrick to score any time – 11/10 (CopyBet)
“I’m very happy with my debut and my first goal in the Champions League in my career,” Endrick said after his win-sealing goal against Stuttgart.
“In the league, I think I was one of the youngest to score for Madrid and today too, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is to help the team.”
It was a fantastic moment for the Brazilian, although he no doubt would have been strongly criticised had he not found the net given he had two team-mates in better positions.
There is a chance Endrick will be included in the starting XI on Saturday. Rotation is important for a club like Madrid and Ancelotti will no doubt shuffle his pack a little for this one.
If Endrick does find himself on the pitch from the first whistle, he is more than capable of making an impact.
Choose Endrick to score any time at 11/10 with CopyBet
How to watch Real Madrid vs Espanyol
Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.
Date and time: Saturday 21st September, 8pm.
How to watch: La Liga TV, Premier Player.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
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About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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