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The visitors may need a victory in order to keep their title hopes alive, as Barcelona hold an eleven-point advantage with just five matches remaining ahead of Saturday night’s meeting with Osasuna.
Real Madrid only managed to register one win throughout the entire month of April, narrowly beating relegation-threatened Alavés at the Bernabéu. However, they’ve accumulated an impressive 31 points from their 16 away matches this term, so will likely head into this one in confident spirits.
The opposition’s shocking run of form provides another reason for Álvaro Arbeloa to feel optimistic, as Espanyol continue their search for a first win in 2026.
Los Periquitos occupied fifth position just before Christmas, but are now just five points above the relegation zone.
Nevertheless, with a large group of mid-table teams all sat on a similar points tally, Manolo González’s men are remarkably still within touching distance of a European place.
However, Espanyol don’t appear capable of stringing together a consistent set of results. The Catalans haven’t won on home soil since early December, while Pol Lozano’s consolation strike against local rivals Barça is the only time they’ve found the net in any of their last four fixtures.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch this crucial clash on Premier Sports, but will need a subscription to gain access to this platform.
Espanyol v Real Madrid – Key information
Date: Sunday, 3rd May
Kick-off time: 20:00 (BST)
Venue: RCDE Stadium, Barcelona
Referee: TBC
VAR: TBC
TV Channels/Live stream: Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports Player
Odds: Espanyol: 15/4, Draw: 11/4, Real Madrid: 3/4
Odds provided by bet365
Espanyol team news
Having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at the beginning of the year, Espanyol captain Javi Puado is out for the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old homegrown attacker underwent surgery midway through January, after already missing three months of the campaign with a knee sprain.
Manolo González doesn’t have any further injury headaches, but will be without the services of the aforementioned Pol Lozano.
Within three minutes of coming on as a late substitute in Monday’s goalless draw with Levante, Lozano was given his marching orders for committing two bookable offences. Consequently, the Catalan midfielder must now serve a one-match suspension.
A settled back four of Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, and Carlos Romero are likely to line up in front of experienced Serbian goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović, while Manchester-born winger Tyrhys Dolan – who was previously on the books of Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers – will hope to be recalled to the starting XI after dropping to the bench against Levante.
Attacking midfielder Edu Expósito will likely be utilised in an advanced role alongside Kike García, who is currently Espanyol’s top scorer this season despite netting just eight times in 34 appearances.
Espanyol predicted line-up v Real Madrid (4-4-2)
Coach: Manolo González,
Marko Dmitrović (GK); Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Cyril Ngonge, Ramon Terrats, Urko González de Zárate, Tyrhys Dolan; Edu Expósito, Kike García
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid have been rocked by a couple of devastating injury blows over the past ten days, with both Éder Militão and Arda Güler now sidelined due to serious hamstring issues.
Although the Brazilian defender has been ruled out of the World Cup after going under the knife this week, Güler is expected to recover in time to represent his country in North America this summer.
Kylian Mbappé has also reported a hamstring complaint, but he may be fit enough to feature in next week’s potentially title-defining El Clásico.
Andriy Lunin will continue to deputise between the sticks in the absence of Thibaut Courtois, who tore his hamstring during the first half of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final second leg clash with Manchester City in March.
There’s a question mark over whether Aurélien Tchouaméni is available, given that the Frenchman missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Real Betis thanks to a niggling calf problem.
Real Madrid predicted line-up v Espanyol (4-4-2)
Coach: Álvaro Arbeloa
Andriy Lunin (GK); Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, Dean Huijsen, Ferland Mendy; Brahim Díaz, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga; Gonzalo García, Vinícius Júnior
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
The match will be televised exclusively live on Premier Sports 1, while online viewers can follow events at the RCDE Stadium by logging in to the Premier Sports Player.
Prior to Sunday’s evening kick-off, Premier Sports are also providing live coverage of two other LaLiga contests. After watching Getafe and Rayo Vallecano lock horns in a Madrid derby, Premier Sports customers can see how Real Betis fare against rock-bottom Real Oviedo.
Alongside Disney+ and LaLiga TV, Premier Sports is one of three platforms that broadcast Spanish top-flight action in the UK. Although Disney+ is only licensed to screen one LaLiga fixture on a Saturday evening, there are multiple matches available throughout the season on the other two networks.
Head-to-Head record
Real Madrid have prevailed in 12 of their 19 trips to the RCDE Stadium, which is the highest number of victories any visiting LaLiga team has recorded at Espanyol’s current home.
However, Los Periquitos have won three of the last six league meetings between these two teams in Catalonia. It took 15 attempts to rack up the same amount of home victories over Real Madrid prior to that recent sequence, as part of a record that stretches back to when Espanyol hosted matches at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Including September’s 2-0 triumph at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid have won 109 of their 179 LaLiga contests against Espanyol. That’s the most occasions any team has defeated another in the history of the competition.
Espanyol v Real Madrid – Match Result odds
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change. All odds provided by bet365.