Espanyol vs Barcelona: La Liga Prediction (16.05.2025)

On May 16, 2025, at 2:30 WIB, the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barcelona will take place at the Cornellà-El Prat Stadium as part of Matchday 36 of La Liga. Bookmakers have clearly named the visitors as the favorites. Let’s analyze both teams’ current form and provide our prediction.

Espanyol: Struggling to secure safety

Espanyol currently sit in 14th place in the La Liga standings. With three games remaining, they are just five points above the relegation zone, and safety is not yet guaranteed. Despite a solid start to 2025, the team has recently hit a rough patch, going winless in their last four matches and suffering three consecutive defeats.

Most concerning was their recent 2-3 loss to Leganés, a game in which their performance was notably poor. While the team has no major injury concerns, fatigue at the tail-end of the season has become apparent. Expect head coach Manolo González to deploy a highly defensive strategy in hopes of catching Barcelona on the counterattack.

Barcelona: One win away from the title

Barcelona come into this fixture fresh off a memorable El Clásico comeback. After conceding two early goals to Real Madrid, Xavi Hernández’s squad struck back swiftly, scoring four times before halftime to turn the game around.

Despite the intensity of that clash, Barcelona looked physically sharp even in the closing minutes. Motivation will be the key factor here—not only is this a derby, but a victory will secure the La Liga title. With that prize in sight, expect full intensity from the visitors.

Espanyol – Barcelona Key Points

• Espanyol lost their last three matches and are winless in four.

• Four of Barcelona’s last five matches in all competitions had over 3.5 goals.

• Barcelona have five straight league wins and are unbeaten in their last 16.

• Espanyol are winless in the last five meetings with Barcelona, losing three.

• The last two matches between these sides finished with Barcelona winning and over 3.5 goals.

Head-to-Head & Stats

In the last five meetings, Barcelona have won three and drawn two. In the first-leg of this season’s La Liga clash, Barcelona won 3-1 at home. They also claimed a 2-1 win in the Copa del Rey, highlighting their recent dominance in the derby.

Prediction

This match heavily favors Barcelona. Their motivation is sky-high with the La Liga title within reach, while Espanyol are struggling for form and confidence. Though the visitors may concede, their attacking unit is the most dangerous in the league.

Betting Tip: Barcelona to score Over 2 Goals (Team Total Over 2)
💸 Odds: 1.54
🏆 Prediction: Barcelona win with at least 3 goals scored