Espanyol vs Girona | LaLiga 22-23 | Matchday 16

This match is over. If you’re looking for the next match between Espanyol and Girona, check out our Girona vs Espanyol prediction.

The bottom half of the LaLiga table is highly turbulent, with each round bringing about a reshuffle where clubs move up or down several places at once. Many clubs are stuck in these positions, struggling to breakthrough to the slightly safer midtable positions, but it just hasn’t been possible. Some are more fortunate, but as we have said, anything can happen. But on this first date of 2023, the Espanyol vs Girona match could bring about such a change.

Espanyol Spain

07 Jan, 21:00 La Liga Bet Now

Girona Spain

Espanyol vs Girona to be played at Power8 Stadium

RCD Espanyol Is on the Hunt for Better Opportunities

Espanyol’s start to the season was not good at all. In six games they had four defeats that kept them at the bottom of the table.

But this shock was enough to give the team a reality check, forcing them to start bringing out their best. Now, Espanyol is determined to reverse the damage caused by those 12 points they let slip away completely.

By their ninth matchday, they had achieved a vital victory that followed on from two draws in a row.

They know they have a tough opponent in Espanyol vs Girona, but they have already beaten them once before.

Girona Has Seen Its Chances Slip from Its Grasp

Girona managed to put up a decent fight in their first five games, from which they had managed to extract 7 points out of a possible 15. Not much, but enough to be halfway comfortable.

But this is not worth much in a competition like LaLiga that demands so much. These matches were followed by three consecutive defeats that sent them to the bottom of the table, where they must now battle against other teams looking to save their season.

Previous Espanyol vs Girona Games

Due to the ups and downs these two clubs have both had between the first and second divisions, they have no recent matches in LaLiga. But, in the 2020-21 season, they did play in LaLiga SmartBank.

The first of these matches was in November, 2020, in an Espanyol vs Girona duel that would go down at the Power8 Stadium. It was an even game, but the final result would benefit Girona, who took home a 1-2 victory.

The Pericos shot at the rival goal on four occasions, while the Gironians only managed 2. However, both would hit the target. Meanwhile, possession was 53% for the home side and 47% for the visitors. Accuracy for Espanyol was 79%, and 76% for Girona.

The match started with the home side conceding the first goal, with Raúl de Tomás in the lead, assisted by Embarba. That’s how they would go to the break, with Espanyol winning the match.

The end was near when the equalizer came. Édgar Bárcenas received a ball from Yan Couto and sent it into the back of the net. Just five minutes later, with an Espanyol unsettled by the opponent’s equalizer, came the second for the Gironians, and the one that would seal the match, Samu Saiz would take a penalty that would serve as a victory.

The second Espanyol vs Girona game from the season came in January 2021 and was played at the Estadio Municipal Montilivi.

Curiously, Espanyol was technically superior throughout the match. But soccer is not always fair, and Girona eventually won the game.

In this instance, the Pericos kept the ball for 65% of the match, compared to the 35% that the Gironians managed to keep it. Furthermore, Espanyol shot eight times at the opposing goal, while Girona only shot twice. Accuracy was also higher for the visitors, who achieved 79% accuracy in their passes, and the locals only 63%.

Girona’s goal, the only one of the match, came in the 41st minute, scored by striker Pablo Moreno.