Home and Away: Hosts to come out on top in relegation six pointer

20Dec 2012

Jonno Turner trawls the football calender to search out the best value for his Home and Away column today.

There's not a lot to choose from in the world of football this evening - but that's not to say that there isn't value out there if you look hard enough.

We're off to Spain for our first tip of the day, as Espanyol welcome Deportivo to the Estadi Cornella-El Prat, looking to make it four unbeaten from their last half a dozen on their own patch.

Javier Aguirre's side sit second bottom of the table following an underwhelming start to the campaign - but they have shown glimpses of their capabilities at times, and eight goals from their last seven home ties suggests that they do have goals in them.

But the Periquitos do need to be more consistant in front of their own fans, and that starts here - in an early season relegation six pointer.

Deportivo travel to Barcelona sitting rock bottom of La Liga, and have won just one game since August.

Jose Luis Oltra's side have shipped a whopping nine goals in their last three games, and that indicates that they have serious issues defensively, which could cost them dearly in what is bound to be a close fought encounter here.

No wins in nine on the road suggests that the visitors will be low on confidence ahead of this one, and I think that could also play into the hands of their hosts, who have shown some positive performances of late.

A 6-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in their last fixture away from the Riazor underlines just how off the pace Oltra's side have been of late, and I'm backing Espanyol to use their home advantage and chalk up the three points here.

Bet 1: Espanyol (HOME) @ 1.87

Switching our attentions to Greece now, and in-form Levadiakos travel to Pierikos aiming to secure their place in the next round of the cup.

The visitors are in excellent form ahead of this tie, and go into it having won six of their last seven - and keeping an impressive five clean sheets in that time.

And Georgios Paraschos' side will be desperate to continue that momentum as they face their lower league opponents here.

The hosts have won just one of their last six on their own patch, and that will leave boss Dusan Mitosevic under pressure - and his side sitting in 18th place in the second tier.

With just a three point margin separating the home side from the drop zone, you have to question whether the cup will be their priority, and having failed to score in three of their last four, it seems that Pierikos could struggle to breach the flawless Levadiakos rearguard here.

And with a 2-0 lead from the first leg already in the bag, I think that the Super League side will come out of the traps in search of another goal to kill off the potential for a giant killing.

Bet 2: Levadiakos (AWAY) @ 2.1