Valencia vs Espanyol

The final fixture of 2021 in La Liga pits high-flying Valencia against a topsy-turvy Espanyol side at the Estadio de Mestalla.

Following a run of three consecutive La Liga draws in November, Valencia have hit the ground running in December, winning all three top-flight matches by an aggregate score of 8-5. Seeking their fourth La Liga victory on the trot for the first time since April 2018 (5), Valencia will fall back on their outstanding all-time H2H record against Espanyol. ‘Los Murcielagos’ have won 80 La Liga matches against this opposition (D32, L50), more than against any other side in the competition’s history. Topically, they have only lost one of their previous nine top-flight H2Hs (W7, D1), notably keeping five clean sheets in their last seven such fixtures. Adding to their confidence, Jose Bordalas’ men have racked up a six-game unbeaten league streak at home (W2, D4) since falling to a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in mid-September.

In the meantime, Espanyol seem to have no intention of going back to the Segunda Divison following a one-year absence from La Liga as they head into proceedings enjoying mid-table comforts midway through the season. However, a lack of consistency remains a glaring issue, with the visitors alternating between winning and losing across their last seven La Liga outings (W3, L4). Since five (71%) of the seven matches won/lost in that sequence yielded a single-goal margin, it’s easy to assume ‘Los Periquitos’ know in-depth about keeping their games competitive. On the downside, Vicente Moreno’s men have failed to win any of their last 18 away fixtures in La Liga (D3, L13) and are one match away from equaling their longest winless away run in the top-flight in the 21st century. To stop that from happening, Espanyol will have to avoid conceding first at all costs, as they’ve gone on to lose six of the seven league games when falling behind this season (D1).