Sevilla - Espanyol Football prediction

Sevilla and Espanyol face each other at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in a match of the 12th round of the Primera Division. At this stage, the history of direct confrontations is favorable to the home team, which has 5 wins and 1 draw in the last 6 games. However, the last time they met at this stadium was on 19-08-2017, in a game for the Primera Division that ended in a draw for (1-1). The goals of the match were scored by C. Lenglet (26 ') for Sevilla and Léo Baptistão (35') for Espanyol. Although this is a game between 3rd and 2nd of the overall standings, it is actually a game between the 6th place in home games and the 11th as a visitor.

Analysis of Seville
The home team is currently in 3rd place with 20 points earned after 6 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses. In the penultimate match, he won at home to Huesca by (2-1). In the last match, tied off to Real Sociedad by (0-0). This is a team little affected by the home factor, that is, it achieves practically the same points at home and away, having won 10 points in its stadium, with 7 goals scored and 4 conceded, against 10 points out, where it scored 15 goals and suffered 9. The team arrives at this meeting after a win away with Akhisar Belediyespor by (2-3). For the championship, the Sevilla won 10 points in 15 possible, after 3 victories, 1 tie and 1 defeat in the last 5 games that played in his stadium. Defensive solidity has not been his strong point, having conceded goals in 7 of the last 10 games in this competition. There are 2 periods in the last 11 home games in all competitions: he has 3 of his 7 goals between the minutes (76'-90 ') and 3 of his 7 between (31'-45').

Sevilla have a great campaign in La Liga but they have dropped a bit of income in the last rounds and now they are looking for a recovery to try to reduce the 4-point gap to leader Barcelona. The team has a powerful attack that has scored 22 goals and is the second best in the competition, but his defense still needs adjustments, has 13 goals and is only the ninth less leaked, having conceded goals in 4 of the last 5 rounds. Playing at home, such as Sunday's match, Sevilla come from 3 consecutive victories, one including where they ran down Real Madrid 3-0, and it's worth noting that they have scored 7 goals in those triumphs and suffered only 2, of its supporters. For the clash with Espanyol, Pablo Machín has no problems in the team that has been playing in the last rounds and should repeat the lineup of the last games.

Analysis of Espanyol
After 6 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses, the visiting team is in 2nd place, having won 21 points. In the last match, he beat Athletic Bilbao at home (1-0), after the previous match drew away in a game against Valladolid by (1-1). This is a stronger team in their stadium, where they won 15 points, against only 6 in their games as a visitor. In the last 6 matches away from the league, Espanyol have 1 win, 3 draws and 2 defeats, having won 6 points out of 18. His attack has scored regularly, having scored goals in 9 of the last 10 games for this competition. This is a team that does not usually feel difficult to open the scoring: it scored the first goal in 9 of the last 11 games for the Primera Division, of these 9 reached the interval in advantage in 5 and managed to maintain the advantage until the end of the 90 'in 6. There are 2 periods in the last eight matches played as a visitor for all competitions: he scored 5 of his 8 goals between the minutes (31'-45 '); suffered 4 of his 9 goals between the minutes (46'-60 ').

Espanyol have a great campaign in La Liga, they are in a perfect sequence of 6 unbeaten games, they have won 4 and drew 2 and are looking for another positive result to get even closer to Barcelona leader. The team has a reasonable attack that has scored 15 goals and is the sixth best of the competition, but its great strength is in the defense that is very solid and organized, suffered only 8 goals and is the second less leaked, so much that it took only 2 goals in the last 4 rounds. Playing away from home, such as this Sunday's match, Espanyol come from 3 unbeaten games of which they won 1 and drew 2 and 4 of the 6 games that made away from their domains had a maximum of 2 goals on the scoreboard, since the team is looking first to defend with quality and then go out in search of goals, usually in counterattacks. For the confrontation against Sevilla, coach Rubí will not be able to count on defender Hermoso because of injury.