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Last minute of Espanyol – Barcelona, ​​live

He Barcelona visit tonight the RCDE Stadium in a derby marked by tension that causes the disparate situation of both entities. The azulgranas aim for a win to proclaim them champions of LaLigaAfter three blank seasons, the Blue and Whites urgently need to win to get out of the standings hole and keep alive the option of staying in First. For completely opposite reasons, today’s derby is life or death.

He Barcelona faces this day the first opportunity he has to conquer LaLiga. It is his first match ball. And he doesn’t want to waste it. He wants to celebrate as soon as possible the achievement of a title that has resisted them for the last three seasons: the Catalans have not won the regular national tournament since the 2018-2019 season, with ernesto valverde on the culé bench.

The project of Xavi won last January the Spanish Super Cup, in Arabiabut LaLiga is the great ambition and the great objective of the Barcelona. And they have it insured, we just need to know what day she will celebrate it. Today could be the big day, and the calendar, almost always capricious, has wanted it to be measured at Espanyolone of the teams with which he has the greatest rivalry.

To face this important crossroads, Xavi Hernandez You can finally count on the entire squad. The technician of terrace He has recovered the only footballer he had injured: Sergio Roberto. He has, therefore, all the costumes at his disposal and will be able to line up his eleven gala. The big question lies in whether the coach, who yesterday did not want to give any clue, will start Ousmane Dembele, after having been a substitute in the last two games to pick up the pace of the competition after having been out for several months due to injury. If the French international plays, those sacrificed could be Raphinha or Gavi. But it is the only doubt. Xavi He soon found a competitive team that has hardly changed, and it will not change either in the derby, the last of Sergio Busquetsfrom today.

Survival

He Espanyolfor his part, reaches the crossroads with the eternal rival with water around his neck: it is penultimate ranking. The season has not turned out, therefore, as the blue and white institution expected. Nor has it been commensurate with the investment made in planning.

The signing of Luis Garciawhich took over from diego martinez, responds to a desperate attempt to revive a team that was aimlessly. The Asturian coach, who became a symbol for the parakeet club during his time as a footballer, is working to give the team a new lease of life: the players have gained self-esteem and the Espanyol He makes a more vertical football and dominates the ball more. But the results are still not forthcoming. The team does not leave the red zone of the table.

The former player has been in charge of the parakeet locker room for six games with a balance of four losses, one draw and one loss. He has scored seven goals and conceded 12. Luis Garciawill bet tonight in the derby for his most competitive eleven. In this final stretch, he not only needs talent but players with the capacity for sacrifice, ambition and personality to play without complexes and without fear, and to whom a Barcelona champion don’t intimidate him.

Ounces of Espanyol and Barcelona

• Alignment of Espanyol: Pacheco; Óscar Gil, Montes, Sergi Gómez, Cabrera, Oliván; Melamed, Darder, Denis; Joselu and Braithwaite
• Alignment of Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kound, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Busquets, Pedri, De Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski and Gavi