Preview: Eibar-Espanyol

The two outsiders for European qualification take to Ipurua on Saturday as only a win will do for Eibar and Espanyol.

Last week’s 1-1 draw with basement boys Osasuna extended Eibar’s winless run to three games, leaving them eight points behind La Liga’s top six and Coach Jose Luis Mendilibar concerned that his side had lost their style.

“We thought that the game would be too easy, so we lacked another gear to take advantage of our chances of the first half,” he said at a Press conference.

“If we don’t run enough, nothing will be easy. We can’t lose our style, but in the last few games we’ve lost it.”

Espanyol, meanwhile, have been similarly inconsistent, following up three straight wins with only two in their last six matches, and Quique Sanchez Flores stressed the Catalans’ cause would not get any easier at Ipurua.

“We’re competing against our own ambition, against ourselves, because I consider all our rivals to be direct,” the former Watford and Valencia boss told reporters.

“Ipurua? The spaces are smaller there and you don’t get much time to think. It’s not easy to impose your game there. We must be careful.”

Eibar (probable): Yoel; Capa, Ramis, Lejeune, Arbilla; Escalante, Dani Garcia; Pedro Leon, Adrian, Inui; Enrich

Injuries/suspensions: Nano (I), Fran Rico (I)

Espanyol (probable): Diego Lopez; Javi Lopez, Diego Reyes, Oscar, Aaron; Hernan, David Lopez, Roca, Jurado; Caicedo, Gerard

Injuries/suspensions: Roberto (I), Navarro (I), Baptistao (I), Piatti (S)

Referee: Fernandez Borbalan

Form guide: Eibar (D L D W L) Espanyol (W L D W L)

Previous meeting: Espanyol 3-3 Eibar

Kick-off time: 12:00 GMT/13:00 CET

La Liga - Club News