RCD Espanyol vs FC Barcelona Best odds and tips

Barcelona are the clear favourites with the bookies at 1.45 for Thursday’s La Liga 2024-2025 clash against Espanyol, while the hosts are a big 7.25 outsider for the win. But the Periquitos are no mugs and have a talisman in Javier Puado, who has scored 11 goals in 32 La Liga appearances this season, but they are desperate for a win after three defeats in a row. Manolo Gonzalez has done a fine job since taking over in March 2024, during a turbulent period for the club, but Espanyol have slipped down to 14th in the table with 39 points from 35 games, while Barca are top with 82 points from the same number of matches. The hosts are winless in three and need to arrest their slide. Barcelona’s form has been solid since Hans-Dieter Flick took over in May 2024 and the former Bayern Munich boss has brought a fresh tactical edge to the team. They are a possession-based side, but much more proactive and intense than their predecessors, pressing high up the pitch and creating overloads in attack.

They are scoring plenty of goals, averaging 2.65 per away game in La Liga 2024/2025 and hitting 12 in their last five. Raphinha has been in fine form, netting four of those, but Robert Lewandowski is the main man up front with 25 goals in 31 league games this term. Barcelona have won 12 of their 17 away games in La Liga 2024/2025, scoring 45 goals, but they have split their last two on the road, losing 1-0 to Villarreal and 3-2 to Leganes, while suffering a 1-2 home defeat to Real Betis. Espanyol’s home record is seven wins, six draws and four defeats in 17 games, but they have only conceded 18 goals (1.06 per game on average). The contrast in styles should make for a classic derby with Espanyol looking to sit deep and hit on the counter while Barcelona probe and press relentlessly. The hosts have failed to beat Barca at home in recent meetings and, given the visitors’ form, H2H record and league position, it’s hard to see anything other than a Barca win.

But we like the odds on ‘Barcelona to win and over 2.5 goals’ because of the visitors’ recent stats. Espanyol will set up to be compact and make it difficult for Barcelona to break them down, but the hosts will have opportunities on the counter and Barca’s attack is in full flow right now.