FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.09.2008 10:44

RCD Espanyol-FCB: Did you know…

Jordi Clos

Espanyol against Barça is one of the oldest derby games in European football having been played over the last 80 years and the games have thrown up some interesting facts.

Below are some facts and figures about the derby encounter:

-The overall balance of the 74 derby games in the league at Espanyol’s ground sees the Blanc i Blau with 25 wins, Barça with 25 wins and 24 draws.

-The biggest win for Espanyol came in 1950/51 when they triumphed 6-0, while Barcelona’s highest winning margin of 0-4 has been achieved on two occasions, in 1982/82 and 1991/92.

-Between 1929 and 1997, the away derby games between Espanyol and Barça took place in the hosts’ stadium in Sarrià. Since then the games have been on Montjuïc.

-Both clubs participated in the first league season in history in 1928/29. The first derby with Espanyol as hosts took place on June 16, 1929 on Montjuïc, because Sarrià was considered to be too small, and ended in a 1-1 draw. Juve scored for the home team before Sastre levelled for the visitors.

-Espanyol’s Gallart was the first player to score a hat-trick (1929).

-The two sides met in the cup final on Montjuïc in 1957. The game ended in a victory for FC Barcelona (1-0).

-In the 1977/78 campaign, the famous ‘Papi’ Anguera was shown a yellow card for running on to the pitch to give Johan Cruyff some shorts. The game ended 1-1.

-The meeting in 1980/81 saw Barça arrive late to the Sarrià stadium due to heavy snow. The game did eventually go ahead with Espanyol winning (1-0).

-Barça had to travel to the stadium Sarrià on two occasions in the 1986/87 season when the league was decided with a play-off.

-In 1996 the derby was suspended for eight minutes due to rain. The match that ended 1-1 proved to be Cruyff’s last as coach of Barça.

-When Barça visited Montjuïc in 1997/98 they applauded on to the pitch by Espanyol’s players for being the champions.

-The derby this weekend could be the last to take place in the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys because Espanyol are set to move to their own purpose-built area in Cornellà-El Prat during the current campaign. The derbies have been played on Montjuïc since 1998.

-There have been eleven derbies played in Montjuïc and the record shows that Barça have won five times, there have been four draws and two wins for Espanyol.

-It is the first time since 2001/02 that both coaches are Catalan . Bartolomé Márquez and Pep Guardiola are the first local duo to take charge since Paco Flores and Carles Rexach.

-This derby will see plenty of homegrown players on both sides. Espanyol can count on Chica, Sergio Sánchez, Ángel, Coro, Jarque, Moisés, Tamudo, Soriano, Julián and Sielva. While Barça can boast the talents of Valdés, Puyol, Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Bojan and Messi.