As La Liga returns with a crucial clash between Espanyol and Alaves on January 31 at 04:00 GMT, fans and analysts are dissecting injury updates, recent form, and head – to – head trends to anticipate the outcome. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to expect.
1. Injury Situation
For Espanyol, the news is relatively positive: defender Omar Hilal returns from suspension, which will bolster their backline. However, forward Xavi Puado remains sidelined due to an injury, restricting their attacking options. On the other side, Alaves enters the match without any new injury concerns. They are riding high on confidence after their 2 – 1 victory over Real Betis in their last fixture, and their squad is fit and ready for the trip to Espanyol’s home ground.
2. Recent Form & Team Dynamics
- Espanyol: Even though they have had a strong overall season, consistency has been hard to come by lately. They have gone four games without a win (with two draws and two losses) and have suffered two consecutive home defeats. Nevertheless, Espanyol’s home recordhas historically been in their favor. They are known for their sturdy defense and organized play when hosting opponents. The return of Hilal could bring stability to a midfield that has lacked leadership in recent weeks.
- Alaves: After a tough spell, Alaves secured a vital 2 – 1 win over Betis, putting an end to their six – match winless run and climbing out of the relegation zone. Morale is extremely high, but their away form paints a different picture. They have failed to win any of their eight league matches on the road this season (with one draw and seven losses). Defensively, they struggle when playing away from home and often concede goals against well – organized defenses like Espanyol’s.
3. Head – to – Head History
Past encounters add another layer of interest. In the reverse fixture of this season, Alaves surprised Espanyol with a 2 – 1 victory at their own stadium. However, over a longer period, Espanyol has the upper hand. They won both legsagainst Alaves last season and also have an unbeaten home run of four matches against their opponents. This history indicates that Espanyol may have a psychological advantage when playing in Catalonia.
4. Prediction
Taking into account Espanyol’s home advantage, Hilal’s return, and Alaves’ poor away defense, a narrow Espanyol win seems likely. A 1 – 0 scoreline would reflect Espanyol’s controlled performance at home while also considering Alaves’ resilient attack (they have scored in 21 of their 22 league games this season).
In conclusion, although Alaves’ recent win gives them some hope, Espanyol’s home strengths and psychological edge make them slight favorites. Fans should pay attention to Hilal’s influence in midfield and whether Alaves can overcome their away difficulties.
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