Overview
Espanyol closed the 2025 year impressively with a 5-game winning streak in La Liga, creating a successful first half of the season for the Catalan team. However, entering 2026, the performance of the white and blue team has clearly declined and they have fallen out of the European cup group.
Coach Manolo Gonzalez's team has only won 3 points in the last 9 matches, including a 2-2 draw against Elche in the recent round.
After 26 rounds, Espanyol has 36 points and is ranked seventh in the standings, 4 points behind sixth-placed Celta Vigo.
At home this season, Espanyol has won 20 points after 13 matches - a fairly stable record. Meanwhile, their opponent Real Oviedo has only won one away match in the 2025-2026 season.
In the first leg at the beginning of the season, Espanyol defeated Oviedo with a score of 2-0 and will aim to complete a double victory against the opponent.
Head-to-head statistics also favor the RCDE home team. Oviedo has lost three of the last four encounters with Espanyol and has never won on the home field of the Catalan team since September 1991.
This season is going extremely difficult for Oviedo as they are returning to La Liga for the first time since the 2000-2001 season. Coach Guillermo Almada's team just suffered a 0-3 defeat to Rayo Vallecano and has lost 3 of their last 4 matches.
After 26 rounds, Oviedo has only 3 wins, 8 draws and suffered 15 defeats, winning only 17 points to be at the bottom of the table. The gap with Alaves' safe position has now reached 10 points, making the relegation battle extremely difficult.
One of Oviedo's biggest problems this season is his scoring ability. They have only scored 16 goals after 26 matches - the worst attacking record in La Liga.
Personnel situation
Espanyol continues to be without the service of Javi Puado due to a long-term injury, while Antoniu Roca will have to undergo a physical check at the last minute before the match.
The Catalan team is also missing two important players, Charles Pickel and Edu Exposito, due to suspension. Pickel was sent off in the match against Elche, while Exposito received his fourth yellow card in the same match.
In attack, Kike Garcia - who has scored 7 goals in all competitions this season - is likely to continue to be trusted by Manolo Gonzalez in the starting lineup.
On Real Oviedo's side, a series of players are still uncertain to play when they have to go through a fitness test in the last minute, including David Costas, Eric Bailly, Ovie Ejaria, Thiago Borbas and Leander Dendoncker.
Federico Vinas, who has scored 5 goals in La Liga this season, is expected to continue to lead the away team's attack.
Meanwhile, veteran Santi Cazorla is a strengthening option for the midfield, but it is likely that the former Spanish international will start the match on the bench.
Expected lineup:
Dmitrovic, El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Romero, Lozano, Zarate, Dolan, Terrats, Milla, K. Garcia.
Real Oviedo: Escandell, Vidal, Carmo, Calvo, Lopez, Fonseca, Sibo, Hassan, Reina, Chaira, Vinas.
The match between Espanyol and Real Oviedo takes place at 3:00 AM on March 10 (Vietnam time).
