FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.04.2010 11:03

Espanyol-FCB: Did you know….?

Jordi Clos

Today’s game is the first city derby at the Cornella Stadium, but the fixture has a long history full of facts.

- Espanyol’s biggest ever win was a 6-0 victory in the 1950/51 season, whilst Barca’s 0-4 wins in 1981/82 and 1991/92 were their best wins.

- Espanyol’s original Sarria ground was inaugurated on 18 February 1923, a week before the homage to Joan Gamper at the Les Corts ground.

- The two clubs took part in the first ever Spanish League in the 1928/29 season and the two drew 1´1 in Montjuic – Sarria was too small to host the game- with Juve scoring for the locals and Sastre replying for Barca.

- The Espanyol player Gallart was the first to score a hat trick, in 1929.

- In the game in the 1977/78 season, Barca’s kit man, ‘Papi’ Anguera was shown a yellow card for coming onto the pitch with a change of shorts for Johan Cruyff. The game ended 1-1.

- A heavy snowfall meant Barca arrived late for the game in the 1980/81 season and when the game finally got underway, Espanyol won 1-0.

- In the 1986/87 season, Barca played twice at Sarria, as the league was decided through a play off competition.

- The 1996 derby game was suspended in the eighth minute because of a torrential downpour. The game ended 1-1 and proved to be Johan Cruyff’s last in charge.

- Barca were given a guard of honour by the Espanyol players as League Champions when the two met in the 1997/98 season.

- The twelve league derbies played at the Luis Companys Stadium ended with 6 wins for Barca, 4 draws and just 2 wins for Espanyol.

The last game in Montjuic was won1-2 by Barca, but was marred by crowd trouble.

- Pochettino and Guardiola have faced each other four times (twice in the league and twice in the Cup) with two wins for Pep, 1 draw and 1 win for the Argentinean.

- Leo Messi has scored more league goals this season than all of the Espanyol players put together - 27 to Espanyol’s total of 26.

- Espanyol have not concede a goal at home in their last six games.