Derby for the illusion: Barça seeks to cut points in the League at the expense of Espanyol

Three points of gold contests the FC Barcelona with the RCD Espanyol this Sunday to the 21:00 hours in the RDCE Stadium. Knowing the 'prick' of the Real Madrid, the Barcelona picture will look for to approach a bit more to the leadership, although the distance still is very big. A victory in front of the 'pericos' will suppose a new confirmation of the good feelings that has left the team directed by Xavi Hernández in the last weeks and the beginning of the 'climbing' in the domestic championship.

The Barça comes to sign a good party and goleada against the Athletic of Madrid and of colarse, finally, in the 'zone Champions' of LaLiga. The intention of the Barcelona is to remain in European places and struggle by scalar positions. By the contrary, the Espanyol receives to the group in his more worrisome moment of the season. They have not won from the past 31 December, with three defeats and a tie.

It will be a derbi in which they will confront the lights of the Barça and shadows of the Espanyol. In the first turn, both contested a party very parejo in which the goal of Memphis Depay from the point penalti marked the difference. Since, the things have changed a lot for the two Catalan teams and the 'reunion' in Cornellà aims to have sparks.

The Espanyol is a rival that, historically, gives him very well to the Barça, that accumulates 23 consecutive parties without losing in front of the picture 'perico', with 18 victories and five ties. In case to win this Sunday, could register the best series invicta in any derbi of LaLiga, surpassing the 23 parties without losing of the Real Madrid in front of the Athletic of Madrid between 2000 and 2013. Likewise, the RDCE Stadium is a feudo in which the Barcelona are used to to go out aireosos, without losing in his last 11 visits, with six victories and five ties.

The Barça has to take advantage of of the bad series that has the Espanyol in the last days. From his victory in Nochevieja against Valencia (1-2), empató against the Cádiz (2-2), lost in front of the Elche (1-2), fell against the Real Betis by goleada (1-4) and afterwards in front of the Athletic of Bilbao (2-1). To this, it is necessary to add him that fell defeated in the eighth of final of the Glass of the King against the Mallorca (2-1). It is being a 2022 very complicated for the 'pericos'... And that is the best news for the Barça.

The Barça, in full 'promotion'

The signings have had effect and the balance between youth and experience also are it having. The 'hand' of Xavi Hernández is noticing , without place to doubts, but now accompany him the results. In spite of the blows in the Champions League, Supercopa of Spain and Glass of Rey, the technician egarense has known how buoy to his team in LaLiga and cause a change importantísimo. And it is that, in ten days, the Barça has happened of the ninth square to put in places of UCL.

From the arrival of Xavi the Barcelona register 21 of 30 points. Only they have lost nine units, with a balance of six triumphs (Espanyol, Villarreal, Elche, Mallorca, Alavés and Athletic of Madrid), three ties (Granada, Seville and Osasuna) and an only defeat (Betis). Can argue the suffering in some triumphs or ties, but the Barça has fulfilled and is to day of today in places of the Champions League after a monumental effort no only of the ténico of Terrassa, but also of a staff that has not lost the hope and that is convinced that it can improve and that the Barça, sooner that late, can reencontrarse with his best version futbolística.

The Barça, with drops and returns

The trainer of Terrassa will not be able to have a long list of footballers, all in the infirmary: Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto, Memphis Depay, Samuel Umtiti, Alejandro Balde and Clément Lenglet. Besides, it has lost to Dani Alves, the one who was expelled in front of the Athletic of Madrid by a hard entrance to Yannick Carrasco. It has received two parties of punishment and will take action the next 27 February, against the Athletic of Bilbao in the Camp Nou.

Xavi, by the contrary, recovers to Eric García for the party against the Espanyol, a month after his injury distal in the biceps femoral of the right thigh. The central has a lot of opportunities of colarse in the list of summoned and the trainer egarense will explain, finally, with him. In the visit of the Barça to the Granada, the past 8 January, Eric García asked the change happened the 50 minutes after having tumbado to the terrain of game by muscular annoyances. Clément Lenglet went in to replace him.

Technical index card of the party: Espanyol-FC Barcelona

• Party: RCD Espanyol - FC Barcelona
• Competition: LaLiga
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• Stadium: RCDE Stadium
• Television: Sunday, 13 February to the 21:00 hours in Spain
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• Calendar 2021-2022: League Santander, Europe League.