Will the Royals’ slide continue?
Somehow finish the season with dignity. That’s Real Madrid’s motto. The Royals will definitely end the 2025/26 season without a title, unless a veritable miracle happens in La Liga over the final five matchdays. FC Barcelona holds an 11-point lead over their archrivals from the Spanish capital.
Conversely, this means the Catalans could clinch the title as early as this weekend if they win their own match at Osasuna and, on Sunday, the Espanyol Barcelona vs. Real Madrid clash yields at least a payout on the 1X double chance bet.
While such a scenario doesn’t seem out of the question, there is currently hardly a team on the Iberian Peninsula in worse form than Coach Manolo Gonzalez’s Blue-Whites. In fact, the Catalans have yet to secure a single victory in the entire calendar year of 2026. Ten of the 16 matches played were lost, while the remaining six ended in draws. Nevertheless, they sit in a solid 13th place—five points clear of the first relegation spot.
Although it’s practically unthinkable, given their ongoing slump, to predict a home win for Espanyol Barcelona against Real Madrid, there are good reasons why the “Periquitos” could make life difficult for the star-studded squad from the capital. For example, Espanyol has conceded more than one goal in only one of their last seven league matches. Moreover, heavy or decisive defeats have been few and far between.
Furthermore, the team led by outgoing head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been far from spectacular for some time now. The Madrid side has managed just three points from their last six competitive matches. Since late February, the Galácticos have lost three league matches against mid-table teams like Osasuna, Getafe, and Mallorca. Last week, too, the White Ballet had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Betis Sevilla.
Bottom line: in only three of Real’s last 15 matches across all competitions have more than three goals been scored. Meanwhile, for the home side, the Under 3.5 has come in in eleven of their last twelve home games. Reason enough to take a closer look at the odds for a maximum of three goals in the match ahead of the clash between Espanyol Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Espanyol Barcelona – Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record
Real Madrid fans won’t have particularly fond memories of last season’s away match at Espanyol Barcelona. In February 2025, the heavy favorites suffered a completely unexpected 0-1 loss to the Blue-Whites from Barcelona.
It was, after all, Espanyol’s third home win against Real Madrid since 2018 and in their last six attempts. Also interesting: In five of the “Periquitos’” last seven home games against the Royals, there were three goals or fewer. The first leg in Madrid ended 2-0 in favor of Kylian Mbappé, Vini Jr., and Co.
Espanyol Barcelona – Real Madrid Prediction
Jose Mourinho is currently considered a hot candidate to succeed Alvaro Arbeloa. In any case, the era of Alonso’s successor is drawing to a close. His tenure will certainly not go down in history.
Despite remarkable performances in the Champions League against FC Bayern, the Galacticos are currently characterized primarily by inconsistency and slip-ups. Just one win in their last six competitive matches clearly underscores that Madrid are miles away from their best form at the moment.
Although Espanyol Barcelona hasn’t won a single game in 2026, the Espanyol Barcelona vs. Real Madrid betting odds on the double chance 1X certainly offer value. All bookmakers are offering odds of over 2.00 for the underdog to pick up a point. However, since one should never neglect or underestimate the individual quality of the second-place team, my preferred bet is on under 3.5 goals in the match. Betano’s 1.60 is worth a stake of six units to me.
