Espanyol vs Malaga Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Even by the standards of end of season matches, this game is a tough sell with nothing at stake and two poor teams who have offered scarcely any goal threat this season. Malaga will be in the Segunda Division next term and only have 20 points on the board, half the figure that Leganes in 17th have. Espanyol are in 15th but will also be reflecting on a poor campaign despite some surprise wins.

They’ve certainly been the most unpredictable team in La Liga this term. They’ve only won ten matches all season in La Liga yet they completed a double over Atletico Madrid last weekend and have also beaten Real Madrid and Barcelona, although their Catalan derby win was in the cup.

Overall those results merely glaze over the cracks. Up against weaker sides, when they’ve been expected to make the running, they’ve been woefully short on creativity and have struggled to score goals. Their average of 0.86 goals per game is the fourth worst in the division but they do have the league’s fifth best defence and have only let in 0.83 per game at home.

Malaga are unlikely to severely test their back-line. The Andalusians are the Spanish top flight’s joint lowest scorers with a pitiful average of 0.64 goals per game. They’ve fired blanks in 61% of their league games this term and in 67% of their away matches.

Therefore virtually everything here points towards a low-scoring game. Malaga are going through the motions now and just seem to want the season to end so they can get on with rebuilding in the summer. Meanwhile it would be typical Espanyol were they to slip up here having won away to Atletico Madrid last weekend and a record of just 2 wins from 9 at the RCDE Stadium in La Liga, suggests this is by no means a home banker.

Overall backing Under 2.5 Goals looks the most appealing bet in a game that is highly unlikely to live long in the memory. It’s a bet that has landed in a huge 78% of Espanyol home matches in La Liga this term and also in 72% of Malaga away games. The visitors are actually reasonably solid at the back for a team in their position but a lack of goals is the main reason they are going down.