La Liga
Sep 9, 2017 7.45pm
5
0
HT : 2 0
FT
  • Sergio Busquets 21' yellowcard
  • Lionel Messi 26' goal
  • Lionel Messi 35' goal
  • Lionel Messi 67' goal
  • Gerard Pique 87' goal
  • Luis Suarez 90' goal
  • yellowcard David Lopez 29'
  • yellowcard Victor Sanchez 60'
  • yellowcard Sergi Darder 71'
  • yellowcard Aaron Martin 74'
  • yellowcard Pape Diop 84'

Team News: Ousmane Dembele starts on Barcelona bench

Dembele starts on Barca bench

Barcelona's record signing Ousmane Dembele has been named on the bench for the visit of Espanyol in the Catalan derby this evening.

The 20-year-old moved to Camp Nou in a £135.5m deal from Borussia Dortmund last month but is made to wait for his debut this evening as Ernesto Valverde continues with Gerard Deulofeu up front.

Luis Suarez comes back into the fold after recovering from a knee injury, with Aleix Vidal making way, as the Uruguayan joins Deulofeu and Lionel Messi in the front line.

Andres Iniesta starts despite speculation that he could be rested in favour of Paulinho, while Ivan Rakitic overcomes a muscular problem to keep his place in the midfield alongside Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

Valverde makes only one other change following the 2-0 victory at Alaves before the international break, bringing in Nelson Semedo at right-back as Sergi Roberto misses out.

Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti continue to marshal the heart of the defence, Jordi Alba stays put at left-back and Marc-Andre ter Stegen is in goal.

As for the visitors, former Watford manager Quique Flores makes four changes following the loss to minnows Leganes last time out.

Gerard and Leo Baptistao start up front, while veteran forward Sergio Garcia starts the game on the bench.

Pablo Piatti and Javi Fuego keep their places in the midfield and are joined by Pape Diop and Sergi Darder, in for Jose Manuel Jurado and Marcos Gullon.

There are also two changes in the back four, with Mario Hermoso and a fit-again Victor Sanchez joining David Lopez and Aaron as Naldo drops to the bench and Pedro Rios misses out.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Suarez, Messi, Deulofeu Subs: Cillessen, Dembele, Mascherano, Paulinho, Alcacer, Digne, Andre Gomes

Espanyol: Pau; Victor Sanchez, David Lopez, Hermoso, Aaron; Diop, Darder, Fuego, Piatti; Gerard, Baptistao Subs: D Lopez, Navarro, Naldo, S Garcia, Jurado, Didac, M Roca

Keep up with every twist and turn of the action from Camp Nou this evening with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

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