Missing Monday Night Football? How about Monday afternoon soccer? That’s right, Espanyol will play host to Real Sociedad on Monday in a must win situation. Los Periquitos are sitting in fifteenth place with 21 points. Losing to Real Sociedad could make them fall into the relegation zone. As for the visitors, they want to return to the winning column as soon as possible to keep the title hopes alive. That being said, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Los Blanquiazules come in as the soccer betting favorites.
Let’s check the latest La Liga news, stats, injury reports, and La Liga lines for Espanyol vs Real Sociedad.We’ve got plenty of La Liga picks for you to consider.
Espanyol: No Margin for Error
Three weeks ago, Espanyol showed signs of life by defeating Betis 1-0. That was huge considering that Los Verdiblancos are fighting for a spot in the top four. Plus, Martin Braithwaite was the scorer. He hasn’t had a good season, but that allowed him to regain some confidence.
The problem is that Espanyol has struggled a lot when it comes to consistency. After defeating Betis, they lost 3-1 to Almeria, another team whose main objective is to avoid relegation. Most recently, they drew 1-1 to Osasuna. Guess who was the scorer? That’s right, Braithwaite.
Besides Braithwaite, there’s Joselu, who’s the team’s top scorer with 11 goals. Overall, only Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona has scored more with 14. The duo of Braithwaite and Joselu is the main reason for you to consider including Los Periquitos in your soccer picks, especially at +250.
Their home record isn’t the best, 2-4-4, but playing there doesn’t hurt their chances. Ronael Pierre-Gabriel won’t be available due to suspension, which means this will be a great opportunity for Sergi Gomez to prove his worth.
Real Sociedad: Exceeding Expectations
Real Sociedad have always been considered a dark horse, but Los Blanquiazules are exceeding expectations. They currently sit in third place with 39 points, only six less than Real Madrid. They aren’t the betting online favorites to win the title, but being in the race after 20 games is quite an achievement.
The problem is that they failed to win either of their last two games. First, they drew 0-0 to Real Madrid, which wasn’t bad considering the match was held at Santiago Bernabeu. Most recently, they lost 1-0 to Valladolid. That was extremely poor considering the game was at home and Valladolid is in 13th place.
Anyway, Los Blanquiazules are determined to bounce back, and the good news is that the talent is there. Alexander Sorloth has scored eight goals while Brais Mendez has scored seven. There’s also Mikel Merino, who leads the league in assists with seven.
As if that wasn’t enough, we’re talking about a team that has won more games on the road (7-1-2) than at home (5-2-3). Finally, they’re offering a +130 price to win straight up.
Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Head-to-Head
- Previous Matches: 148
- Espanyol Victories: 49 (185 goals)
- Real Sociedad Victories: 60 (206 goals)
- Draws: 39
The first meeting between the two was a back-and-forth battle that Real Sociedad ended up winning 2-1. Curiously enough, all three goals were scored in the first half during a 12-minute span. Alexander Sorloth and Brais Mendez scored for Los Blanquiazules, while Edu Exposito did it for Espanyol.
If there’s something you can expect from these two, it’s goals. Both scored in seven of their last 10 meetings and the total went over in six of those matches. This time, the total is set at two goals, with the over offering a -115 price.
Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Match Information
- Match:Espanyol vs Real Sociedad
- Date/Time: Monday, Feb. 13rd, 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Power8 Stadium, Barcelona
- Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Live Stream: fuboTV
Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Betting Lines
Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Picks and Prediction
Real Sociedad are the better team, no doubt about it, but Espanyol won’t be easy prey. Los Periquitos scored in eight of their previous 10 home games. Plus, Braithwaite came back to life while Joselu is having a great season. Therefore, I think you should include the draw in your online gambling ticket. After all, three of their last five games played at Power8 Stadium finished with a draw.
The Real Sociedad are listed at +130 in our Vegas La Ligalines. This means that if you wager $100 on Real Sociedad, you have a chance to win $130. The Espanyol are +250, offering a chance to win $250 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Real Sociedad a 43.48% chance to win, with Espanyol at 28.57%
Espanyol vs Real Sociedad Match Detail
