Football Bet of the Day: Basement battle could be fun

• Espanyol winless in five

• Valladolid boosted by Betis win

• BTTS a value play at 2.186/5

Espanyol v Real Valladolid
Friday 17 January, 20:00
Live on La Liga TV

Ipswich failed to do their part for us in the Premier League last night, as their 2-0 home defeat to Brighton nixed the BTTS section of our Bet Builder. We have Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen to blame, as he made a series of saves.

Shaking our heads at a rare Brighton clean sheet, we head to Spain, because there's a relegation clash on the horizon as Espanyol face fellow strugglers Real Valladolid.

Valladolid are owned by legendary Brazil striker Ronaldo, and how they could do with him in his prime. They have managed just 13 goals so far this season, and they are second-bottom, with only hapless Valencia below them.

However, there has been a boost for Diego Cocca's men, as last weekend they won 1-0 against Real Betis with a goal from Kike Perez. It means they have at least found the net in nine of their last 13 La Liga matches.

Espanyol are the odds-on favourites here, but they are only a point better off, and they are winless in five. Concerningly for the Catalans, those five games have all been against bottom-half sides, and they have drawn 1-1 at home recently against both Valencia and Leganes.

Both Teams To Score is trading at 2.186/5 here, and I think both teams can find the net. A BTTS bet has landed in seven of Espanyol's ten home games, and Valladolid haven't managed a single clean sheet away from home this season.

Now read Kev's Bundesliga previews here!