Valencia has stylishly moved out of the relegation places over recent weeks, and another win this weekend could put them on course for securing their top-flight status. Espanyol are far from assuring their status, and their relegation could be confirmed this weekend.
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It has been a solid month or so for Valencia, as they have easily moved clear of the bottom three after piecing together their best form. It appeared incredibly unlikely that they would be maintaining their top-flight status just over two months ago, as they were stuck in a losing sequence, and there was little hope of them bucking that trend. However, two straight wins has put them on course to maintain their status in the top tier.
But, the Mestalla cut an ugly scene on Sunday, as fans chanted vile abuse at Vinicius Jr throughout their clash against Real Madrid. Valencia claimed maximum points after Diego Lopez’s effort, but the bigger story revolved around what was happening in the stand rather than what was taking place on the pitch.
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Espanyol has had no such joy to this point of dragging themselves out of the relegation places in the league standings. They remain second from bottom in the standings, and have won just eight games all season. However, there have been glimpses of a spark in recent weeks after winning two of their previous five.
Espanyol played out a thrilling 3-3 home draw against Atletico Madrid in midweek, as they came back 3-0 down to rescue a memorable point. It was a morale-boosting performance by the hosts, but they remain three points away from safety. A big performance is needed on the road this weekend to maintain their fight to stay in the top flight.
Valencia vs Espanyol Head to Head
Each of the previous two meetings between these sides has ended in score draws. The most recent of those was a 2-2 draw in October. Espanyol landed a memorable 2-1 win in this exact fixture last season, but they have registered just two victories from their last 12 La Liga matches against Valencia.
Valencia vs Espanyol Prediction
The heightened pressure will be on Espanyol this weekend, as they must claim maximum points to take their relegation scrap to the final day. However, we find it challenging to overlook Valencia’s recent upturn in form. Therefore, we will be siding with the host to land a victory with both teams finding the net.
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