Espanyol vs Deportivo Alaves 13/06/20

13 June 2020

Relegation-threatened Espanyol entertain Deportivo Alaves to the RCDE Stadium, looking to extend their unbeaten run in their La Liga (LL) home H2Hs to six games (W3, D2) and keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.

Rock-bottom hosts had failed to pick up a win in four consecutive league fixtures (D2, L2) before the coronavirus pandemic halted proceedings in Spain, as they enter this round sitting six points adrift of the safe zone. Also, although they are unbeaten in five successive LL home matches (W1, D4), the ‘Periquitos’ remain the worst home side in Spain’s top-flight (W1, D5, L7), as just 40% (eight) of their total 20 league points so far came on home turf. Espanyol must avoid conceding the opening goal here if they want to pick up a triumph, considering they won just three points from eight LL home games in which they’ve shipped the opener (D3, L5).

Meanwhile, the visitors head into this encounter on a run of three straight league matches without a loss (W1, D2), looking to bring a two-game winless run in top-flight H2Hs to a halt (D1, L1). However, winners in just one of their last six LL road trips (D2, L3) the ‘Babazorros’ have found it difficult to score away from home lately. Indeed, they’ve scored under 1.5 goals in each of their six previous LL away games, failing to find the back of the net in the first half of play on all of those occasions. In turn, only 37.93% (11) of Alaves’ 29 LL goals scored this season came away from home, with just two of those goals arriving before the halftime whistle.