Football Bet of the Day for Sunday focuses on Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid, with Julian Alvarez tipped to find the net. Click here to read our expert reasoning and betting insights.
One of our trusted experts, known for his deep knowledge of Spanish football, has picked this game as Today’s Best Bet, and the selection makes plenty of sense.
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⚽ Football Bet of the Day
Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid
Wolfgang Shotten; Sports journalist at BettingTips4You
Julian Alvarez to score anytime | |
19/20 - odds when tipped |  |
Reasoning Atletico’s firepower, spearheaded by Julian Alvarez, looks far too strong for an Espanyol side who barely escaped relegation last season. With Simeone’s side keen to start with intent, Alvarez is primed to extend his prolific form against a fragile defence, making him the standout bet for Sunday’s action. | |
📈 Three Key Stats Behind Today’s Best Bet
- Espanyol conceded 55 league goals last season, the fourth-worst defensive record outside the bottom three.
- Atletico’s Julian Alvarez scored 29 goals in his debut campaign in Spain.
- The Madrid side are unbeaten in their last six opening-day La Liga fixtures.
WHY BETTING WITH WILLIAM HILL? | |
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Rationale:
Atletico Madrid make the trip to Catalonia on Sunday to open their La Liga season against Espanyol, and this feels a perfect stage for Diego Simeone’s side to flex their attacking improvements. Atletico finished third last season, and while their defensive shape remained solid, the glaring issue was often a lack of consistent goalscoring when compared to Barcelona and Real Madrid. The summer acquisition of Julian Alvarez has been transformative, and his first year in Spain could not have gone better – 29 goals across competitions highlighted his knack for converting half-chances into decisive strikes.
Espanyol, by contrast, were fighting at the wrong end of the table for much of last season, scraping survival by just two points. They have reinforced with Roberto Fernandez and other signings, but their squad still lacks the depth and quality to compete with Spain’s elite. Manolo Gonzalez’s team were far too open defensively last term, conceding 55 goals in La Liga, and their back line will face a stern test against Atletico’s refreshed attack, which now combines the predatory instincts of Alvarez with the creativity of Thiago Almada and Alex Baena.
Pre-season indicators point to Espanyol being better organised going forward – Fernandez and Javi Puado provide pace and finishing – yet their defensive shortcomings have not been fully addressed. Even in friendlies, they were prone to conceding under pressure. Atletico, though, showed resilience during their Club World Cup outings and arrive with real optimism about narrowing the gap on the top two. With Simeone likely to unleash several new signings immediately, Espanyol’s back line could find themselves overwhelmed by relentless pressing and quick interchanges in the final third.
Considering Espanyol’s vulnerability at the back and Alvarez’s sharpness, the value lies in backing the Argentine to continue his red-hot scoring streak. He thrives in matches where Atletico dominate territory and force mistakes, and Espanyol are exactly the type of opponent he can punish.
✅ Best Bet: Julian Alvarez to score anytime
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