Espanyol vs FC Barcelona: Confirmed Lineups - Unprecedented defense for the derby!

Published:15/05/2025 - 20:31h

Updated:15/05/2025 - 21:10h

CONFIRMED LINEUPS! Discover the starting XIs for Espanyol and Barça for the Catalan derby of matchday 36 of LaLiga. Hansi Flick makes 3 changes compared to the Clásico team

OFFICIAL: The starting lineups for Manolo González's Espanyol and Hansi Flick's FC Barcelona for matchday 36 of LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25 have been confirmed. Both teams are making several adjustments to their lineups, with the 'culés' one win away from the title and the 'pericos' three points away from securing permanence.

⚽Starting lineup of FC Barcelona against Espanyol

Hansi Flick introduces three changes compared to the XI against Real Madrid in the Liga Clásico. Andreas Christensen will take the place of the suspended Iñigo Martínez as a defender alongside Ronald Araujo, who comes in for Pau Cubarsí.

Eric García remains on the right side due to the absence of Jules Koundé, while Gerard Martín returns to the left side, although Alejandro Balde is available on the bench. In attack, Robert Lewandowski will be back after three matchdays absent.

Frenkie de Jong will occupy the pivot position, accompanying Pedri and Dani Olmo, while Lamine Yamal and Raphinha complete the offensive trident. In this way, Flick is betting on an unprecedented defense, with Christensen and Araujo accompanying Eric and Gerard.

Barça's starting XI (OFFICIAL):

Tactical note: Eric García is the right back. Araujo and Christensen form as center backs and Gerard Martín is the left back. Raphinha is left winger and Lewandowski, center forward, with Lamine on the right. Although many exchanges are expected in attack, thanks to the mobility of Dani Olmo.

(#25, P) Szczesny
(#24) Eric García
(#04) Ronald Araujo
(#15) Andreas Christensen
(#35) Gerard Martín
(#21) Frenkie de Jong
(#08) Pedri
(#20) Dani Olmo
(#19) Lamine Yamal
(#11) Raphinha
(#09) Robert Lewandowski

Barça's bench (substitute players):

(#01, P) Ter Stegen
(#13, P) Iñaki Peña
(#02) Pau Cubarsí
(#03) Alejandro Balde
(#06) Gavi
(#10) Ansu Fati
(#14) Pablo Torre
(#16) Fermín López
(#17) Marc Casadó
(#18) Pau Víctor
(#32) Héctor Fort

Barça's injured players:

(#07) Ferran Torres
(#23) Jules Koundé
(#28) Marc Bernal

Barça's suspended players:

(#05) Iñigo Martínez

📝How do Hansi Flick's changes affect Barcelona's scheme?

Hansi Flick is rotating again in the final stretch of LaLiga, with important adjustments in his defense. We analyze them:

Barça puts out an XI with a majority of starters, looking to seal the Liga title. Araujo and Christensen will be leaders of the backline, with Eric García and Gerard Martín on the flanks. Frenkie and Pedri direct the midfield, while Dani Olmo will once again be the attacking midfielder, behind the trident made up of Lamine, Raphinha and Lewandowski.

Goalkeeper and defense:

A defense with tweaks: Eric García returns as right back due to the absence of Jules Koundé. Ronald Araujo will accompany Andreas Christensen in the center of defense. Gerard Martín remains as left back, with Balde on the bench.

Midfield:

Frenkie de Jong remains as pivot alongside Pedri and Gavi will be on the bench. Flick also keeps Dani Olmo as attacking midfielder. The Terrassa native was a starter in the Champions League against Inter and the last two Clásicos against Madrid.

Forward line:

In the offensive trident, Robert Lewandowski will be a starter alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. The Pole returns after three matchdays and needs to score again to regain ground in the fight for the 'Pichichi' with Kylian Mbappé.
The '9' will once again be the area reference and seeks to score again in Liga, something he did for the last time on matchday 29 against Girona (4-1). The experienced striker was out injured in four official Barça matches.
Raphinha, again, will be the left winger, with Lamine on the right and Lewandowski as '9'. In the center of the field, Pedri and Olmo will be the creative footballers of the team, giving mobility and clarity to the Azulgrana game.

🥅Starting lineup of Espanyol against FC Barcelona

(#01, P) Joan García
(#23) Omar El Hilali
(#4) Marash Kumbulla
(#6) Leandro Cabrera
(#22) Carlos Romero
(#19) Urko González
(#10) Pol Lozano
(#8) Edu Expósito
(#7) Javi Puado
(#31) Antonio Roca
(#2) Roberto Fernández

Espanyol bench: Pacheco (P), Fortuño (P), Gómez, Tejero, Calero, Hinojo, Aguado, Jofre, Pere Milla, Veliz, Cheddira.

Espanyol, for its part, comes to the derby with its gala eleven. The team is betting on Pol Lozano, the '10' of the 'pericos' and a key piece for the center of the field despite playing infiltrated due to a muscular injury.

The starting defense remains with El Hilali and Romero as full-backs, while Kumbulla and Cabrera return to the center of the backline. Lozano and Urko will be in the midfield, with Expósito and Puado further forward. In attack, Roca and Fernández continue as area references.

Espanyol comes from three consecutive defeats against Villarreal (1-0), Betis (1-2) and Leganés (3-2), the latter a result that again compromised their permanence in LaLiga.

The 'blanquiazules', for the moment, are in sixteenth position with 39 points, five more than Leganés (18th). Hence, with a victory in the derby, they have the possibility of securing one more season in the First Division, after their last relegation in 2023.

🚑CULE INJURIES! How do they affect Barça against Espanyol?

The injuries of Jules Koundé, Ferran Torres and Marc Bernal are an important setback for FC Barcelona in the final stretch of the season, along with the absence of Iñigo Martínez due to suspension (accumulation of cards).

Below, we detail the individual impact of each absence due to injury in the team.

Jules Koundé (starting right back)

Jules Koundé, during a Champions League match with Barça

Impact: after playing 86 consecutive matches with the club during the last 12 months, Koundé finally rested on matchday 33 against Mallorca. The Frenchman was the MVP of the Copa final, scoring the winning goal, but was injured in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan last Wednesday. The '23' has 4 goals and 8 assists in 53 matches with Flick's team
Consequences: in principle, Barça has not determined the time of absence of Jules, who suffers a distal injury to the femoral biceps of the left thigh. Flick only has Héctor Fort as a substitute right back and, in the Champions League, he opted for Eric García as an emergency solution. Ronald Araujo could also be a 'patch' to deal with his absence.

Marc Bernal (Midfielder, central midfielder)

Impact: Bernal, one of the revelations of the youth academy, suffered a serious knee injury (rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament) and says goodbye to the season.
Consequences: His absence deprives the team of a physical and tactical profile that had provided balance and energy in the center of the field. Bernal was a valuable alternative for matches of high physical demand and his absence forces Flick to rely more on experienced players or to advance the progression of other young players.

Ferran Torres (center forward/ winger)

Impact: Ferran Torres, the '9' of the team during the absence of Robert Lewanodwski due to injury, may have said goodbye to the season after undergoing surgery on Wednesday, as a result of appendicitis.
Consequences: the 'Shark' was very important in the Azulgrana attack during the absence of 'Lewy', scoring one of the goals in the Copa final against Real Madrid and in the first leg of the 'semis' of Champions against Inter. In addition, he had just broken a record in the last Liga Clásico, with three assists in the first half.

Iñigo Martinez (starting center back)

Impact: Iñigo, leader of the defense throughout the season, will be out due to suspension, as he saw his fifth yellow card of the tournament against Madrid.
Consequences: the Basque has 5 assists in 27 Liga matchdays and his presence in the backline provides greater security to a Barça that, in the last five matchdays, has conceded 7 goals. Cubarsí has accompanied him during practically the entire season, due to the physical problems of Araujo and Christensen.

In summary, the absences of Iñigo, Ferran, Koundé and Bernal are a minor setback for Flick against Espanyol. The defensive solidity, the creativity in the midfield and the depth to make rotations in the complement are affected, but the team trusts in the quality of its squad to add the three points in Cornellà, with the majority of starters available.