Malaga will host Espanyol in the eighth round of La Liga, with both teams looking to avoid being drawn further into the relegation battle. Pinnacle888’s match prediction and betting prices make the contest difficult to separate, with Malaga priced at 2.8 to win and Espanyol at 2.7.
Malaga have struggled to adapt to La Liga since arriving in the division and have collected only three points from their opening seven matches. They are bottom of the table in 20th place and trail Espanyol by four points.
With the team already in the relegation zone, every point is important for Malaga. A draw would therefore represent a useful result, although securing even one point will require an improvement in form.
The hosts have lost their past two matches. They were beaten 1-0 away by Getafe before suffering a 3-1 home defeat by Villarreal.
Espanyol’s recent form
Espanyol also made a poor start to the campaign. Their two victories have prevented the opening from being regarded as an outright failure, but they remain only two points above the relegation places in 15th, with seven points from seven games.
A win against the bottom side in La Liga would give Espanyol valuable breathing space and help them move further away from danger. However, they arrive after two consecutive defeats.
Espanyol lost 3-1 at home to Elche in their previous match. Before that, they were beaten 2-1 away by Rayo Vallecano.
Pinnacle888 odds
– Malaga win – 2.8
– Draw – 3.15
– Espanyol win – 2.7
The recent statistics point to a closely contested game, although Malaga have not won any of their past nine matches in all competitions.
Four of Espanyol’s last five fixtures have ended with both teams scoring. The visitors also have a strong record in this fixture, having won the past six meetings with Malaga.
Prediction
The suggested Pinnacle888 selection is a Malaga victory at odds of 2.8, combined with the “both teams to score – no” market at 1.95.
Where to watch the match for free
The match is available through bookmakers after a quick registration.
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