Espanyol vs Barcelona: the *culés* start 2026 with a high-voltage derby in Cornellà

FC Barcelona visits Espanyol this Saturday, January 3rd, at the RCDE Stadium, Cornellà-El Prat (9:00 PM CEST) for matchday 18 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26. In the first match of 2026, Hansi Flick's team aims for their sixteenth victory in 19 league games, their ninth consecutive win.

• 📺 Where and when to watch the match on TV: channels broadcasting Espanyol-Barcelona LIVE WATCH

The blaugrana team comes from defeating Elche, Celta, Athletic, Atlético, Alavés, Betis, Osasuna, and Villarreal to secure the winter championship in LaLiga, with a 4-point lead over Real Madrid. Facing them will be an Espanyol that also arrives on a streak, with five consecutive wins in the tournament and a meritorious fifth place.

Manolo González's men defeated Sevilla, Celta, Rayo, Getafe, and Atlético to **consolidate their position in the Europa League zone with 33 points**, 5 more than Betis (6th with 28) and just 2 behind Villarreal (4th), although the 'Yellow Submarine' has a game in hand.

• 👉 Lineups: Possible starting XIs for RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona: SEE

Flick's Barça Seeks to Maintain League Unbeaten Streak in Cornellà

On Saturday, Barça visits Cornellà for the 16th time in La Liga. So far, the Catalans are undefeated at the stadium inaugurated in the 2009/10 season, with a record of 9 wins and 6 draws and a total of 31 goals scored and only 9 conceded. The Blaugrana also won their last two league titles (2023 and 2025) with victories (2-4 and 0-2) at the RCDE Stadium.

Furthermore, Flick's team enters matchday 18 at their best moment of the season, with 8 consecutive league victories, the best offense in the tournament (51 goals) and a streak of 38 consecutive matches scoring at least 1 goal. With the German on the bench, the team won 9 consecutive matches in the second half of the 24/25 season, their best streak to date. 

• *Champions League/Copa del Rey Match
• S: Stadium
• L: Home
• V: Away

Facing them will be an Espanyol side that boasts the third-best defense in the tournament (17 goals conceded), although they have lost at home to Betis (1-2) and Villarreal (0-2). The 'pericos' have not managed at least a draw at home against Barça since February 2022 (2-2) and this season they already suffered a setback in the Copa del Rey after falling to Atlético Baleares (1-0) in the second round

Barça Recovers Pedri and Olmo in Time for the Derby

Pedri and Araujo train at full intensity; Olmo does part of the group work

For Barcelona, the last week of 2025 brought very good news, with the returns of Pedri González, Dani Olmo and Ronald Araujo to training at the Ciutat Esportiva. The first two will be available on Saturday, with the Canary Islander starting after missing the visit to Villarreal due to muscle discomfort.

Olmo, on the other hand, will be on the bench after a month out with a dislocated shoulder. Araujo will not be called up and is aiming for the Spanish Super Cup to play again, almost a month and a half after his expulsion in the Champions League against Chelsea and a sharp drop in moraleIn that sense, Hansi Flick is likely to keep his XI against Villarreal, except for two adjustments. **Pedri** should return to midfield alongside Eric García and Frenkie de Jong. **Robert Lewandowski** could also replace Ferran Torres, accompanying Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in the offensive trident

Fundamentally, there should be no changes, with Joan García in goal and Pau Cubarsí alongside Gerard Martín in central defense. On the wings, Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde will once again feature, with the Frenchman fully recovered from the discomfort that led him to request a substitution ten minutes from the end against Villarreal.

Espanyol wants to stop Barça in a high-voltage derby with scores to settle

Espanyol will also have a majority of its starting players available and is preparing a high-voltage atmosphere to receive Barça. Saturday's match will be Joan García's first derby defending the Barça goal and a very hostile environment is expected for the Sallent-born player, a key figure for the 'pericos' last seasonThe 'blanquiazules', moreover, seek to break the azulgrana's winning streak in the League, as well as their second official victory at the RCDE Stadium against their biggest rival. **Espanyol only managed to defeat Barça in January 2018 (1-0)** in the first leg of the Copa quarter-finals, although the Catalans came back in the second leg (2-0) and ended up winning the trophy.

2026 begins with a high-risk visit for Flick's team, who, regardless of what happens this Saturday at Cornellà, can rest assured of retaining their league lead before the dispute for the season's first title, the Spanish Super Cup.

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