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Attendance: 92,795
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La Liga | Gameweek 29
Mar 30, 2019 at 3.15pm UK
 
Espanyol logo

2-0

Messi (71', 89')
FT(HT: 0-0)

How Barcelona could line up against Espanyol

Sports Mole takes a look at how Barcelona could line up in Saturday's La Liga clash with Espanyol.

Camp Nou will host the latest instalment of the Catalan derby this weekend as Barcelona welcome Espanyol.

Barca are flying high at the top of La Liga, sitting 10 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid. Espanyol, though, have only won one of their last five and currently sit 13th.

Twenty wins, six draws and two defeats - that is how Barca have performed in the league this term. Unbeaten in their last 16 league fixtures, Ernesto Valverde's side thumped Real Betis 4-1 before the international break.

It is going to take some effort from Atletico, or indeed Real Madrid, to prevent the Spanish champions from defending their title, while they are also in yet another Copa del Rey final.

Barca have not actually lost a league game against Espanyol since February 2009, which is an indication of the size of the task facing the visitors on Saturday afternoon.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how the home side could line up at Camp Nou.


POSS BAR XI vs. ESP

Out: Ousmane Dembele (hamstring), Rafinha (knee)

Lionel Messi's return to Argentina duty did not go as planned, with the attacker picking up a groin injury in their defeat to Venezuela. The 31-year-old has trained upon his return to Barca, however, and will be fit to start.

Luis Suarez limped off against Betis last time out with an ankle injury, meanwhile, and the Uruguay international was initially expected to miss out this weekend. The striker has also trained, though, and is expected to be available to lead the line.

Ousmane Dembele is still out of action with a hamstring problem, however, while Rafinha remains a long-term absentee following knee surgery.

Valverde has decisions to make elsewhere, with Nelson Semedo and Sergi Roberto vying for the right-back spot, while Philippe Coutinho will hope that the head coach reverts back to a 4-3-3 formation, which could see the Brazilian replace Arturo Vidal in the XI.

Gerard Pique will also start fresh from playing for Catalonia in a friendly against Venezuela during the international break.

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Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele tangles with Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez in the Copa del Rey on February 27, 2019
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid31246167204778
2Barcelona31217362342870
3GironaGirona31205663392465
4Atletico MadridAtletico31194859362361
5Athletic Bilbao31169651292257
6Real Sociedad311311745331250
7Valencia31138103432247
8Real BetisBetis31111283837145
9Villarreal31109124954-539
10Getafe31912103743-639
11Osasuna31116143644-839
12Las PalmasLas Palmas31107142935-637
13Sevilla31810133944-534
14AlavesAlaves3188152638-1232
15Mallorca31613122536-1131
16Rayo Vallecano31613122538-1331
17Celta Vigo31610153346-1328
18CadizCadiz31413142141-2025
19Granada3138203260-2817
20Almeria31111193062-3214


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
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