There are further good omens for Valencia, who hold a formidable La Liga record during Friday home matches, losing just one of their last 13 such games.
Valencia
The final game of 2021 in La Liga sees Valencia host Espanyol, with ‘Los Murciélagos’ knowing victory will rocket them up to fourth spot. That would be the hosts’ highest ranking since matchday five and as Valencia haven’t tasted defeat since the end of October (4-1 vs Betis), and have obtained seven wins across the last nine H2H meetings, the expectation will be for another three points here. There are further good omens for Valencia, who hold a formidable La Liga record during Friday home matches, losing just one of their last 13 such games. Six of the last seven wins in that Friday run came ‘to nil’ and that’s a pattern which has been seen this season too, with three of their four home La Liga wins being accompanied by a clean sheet.
Espanyol
Safely in mid-table after a one-season absence from Spain’s top division, Espanyol have home form to thank for their solid start. Away days have been an issue, however, as they’re yet to claim a league victory, an apparent hangover from their last La Liga campaign in 2019/20, which saw them fail to win any of their last nine trips. Espanyol have conceded first on seven occasions away from home this La Liga season and also kept just one away clean sheet. Yet they are unbeaten in nine of the ten La Liga games (all venues) in which they’ve held the lead this season, so coach Vincente Moreno will be targeting a fast start here.
Valencia’s Carlos Soler netted a double in their last La Liga outing against Levante (4-3) and five of his last seven goals have come from the spot. Meanwhile, five of Raul de Tomas eight La Liga strikes this season have opened the match scoring. There hasn’t been a goal scored between minute 61-75 in any Espanyol La Liga away game this season.