All Bar�a�s football

Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Saturday, 17 Apr
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Estadi Cornell�-El Prat, Cornell�

Resultat:

RCD Espanyol: 0
FC Barcelona: 0

Match report

Match Report
Pre-Match

Match Report

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Valuable point (0-0)

Roger Boguny�

FC Barcelona took a valuable point from the derby game in Cornella, despite playing the last half hour with 10 men after Dani Alves saw red. Both teams had their chances with the woodwork keeping them both out in the first half.

If Espanyol looked the brighter in the first half, it was Barca who dominated the second, with their typical style of football. Espanyol played the game to the limit, with plenty of fouls throughout, but in the end it was Barca who finished with 10 men after Dani Alves was shown a red in the second half.

With just five games to go till the end of the season, Barca are now four points ahead of Madrid, who face Valencia on Sunday.

Typical start

It was a typical derby start, with Espanyol pressing Barca all over the pitch and the visitors having problems in finding their playmaker Xavi. Only Pedro, whose deflected shot came back off the post threatened Espanyol. It was scrappy stuff, constantly interrupted by fouls and stoppages.

Vald�s, saves the day

Espanyol had managed to force the game into the shape they wanted and with Osvaldo and Torrej�n chasing the long balls, they began to sniff a few chances, the clearest falling to the Argentinean whose effort was pushed away by a combination of Valdes and the post. Things could only get better in the second half for Barca.

Alves sees red

Guardiola reacted by replacing Milito and Tour� with Keita and Henry and Barca soon began to impose their typical style. Espanyol were retreating into their own half and trying to hit their visitors on the break and it was in one such action on 61 minutes, that Dani Alves saw his second yellow. Guardiola moved Puyol back out of the heart of the defence to play on the right, whilst Sergio Busquets moved back into the centre half role.

Messi and Henry

Despite playing with 10, Barca continued to dominate possession, with Messi and Henry both to the fore, but even with Ibra, brought on towards the end, Barca were unable to break down the Espanyol defence after the hosts had seemingly decided to defend the draw their fans so effusively celebrated at the end of the game.

Preview

Argentinean compatriots

Espanyol have a new striking hero in powerful 24-year-old Pablo Osvaldo who has had an immediate effect since joining the club from Bologna on loan in January. He will be looking to outshine Argentinean compatriot Lionel Messi while Espanyol as a team will be hoping to stop the Barca star from continuing his incredible scoring run.

Barca aiming for derby delight

Roger Boguny�

FC Barcelona head across the city for their first ever visit to Espanyol's new stadium in Cornell�-El Prat (kick off 20:00, R@dio Bar�a) hoping to take local bragging rights and move six points clear at the top of the table once again.

The Blaugrana are preparing for their debut at their neighbours new purpose-built arena after the Blanc i Blau spent 12 years renting the Estadi Ol�mpic on Montju�c. Coach Pep Guardiola is a fan of the venue and also of Espanyol's strengths and has warned his players that they will not be in for an easy time.

Table toppers

Victory in midweek against Deportivo de La Coru�a was Barca’s seventh-consecutive triumph and saw them retain their lead at the summit of La Primera four days after moving clear with victory against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernab�u. After a run of six wins earlier in the campaign the Catalan outfit have gone one better with a great run that began the week after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Almer�a in early March.

In memory of Jarque

Espanyol had a difficult start to the new season after club captain Daniel Jarque tragically passed away while on pre-season tour in Italy and this game will see the teams pay homage to him. The loss affected everyone in Spanish football and brought the Blanc i Blau and Bar�a closer together. The team regrouped and have done their skipper proud with nine victories this term and are eight points above the drop zone. Their new stadium has become a hard place for visiting teams to take anything as the hosts have won eight, drawn five and lost just three games there.

Squad news

Guardiola was buoyed by news that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and �ric Abidal have returned to full training and could be named in the squad for the match, leaving only Andr�s Iniesta unable to play following his latest injury setback. Espanyol' appeal against Carlos Kameni's red card against Racing Santander has been over-turned and he is available. and has been included in the squad .

History

When Barca and Espanyol met for their first official encounter in 1923 the Blaugrana ran out 1-5 winners, but since then the first games in both of the Blanc i Blau's new stadia have ended in 1-1 draws. In 1929 the teams met in the league for the first time in Sarri� and then 12 years ago the first derby was played in the Estadi Ol�mpic. Historically the local derby has been very even when Espanyol have been the home team with Barca having won 26 times, Espanyol 25 times with 24 draws making up the 75 games between the sides. While Barca have scored 97 goals in the fixtures, Espanyol have netted 101.

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