Espanyol vs. Real Madrid LIVE: Latest score and updates from La Liga fixture as Barcelona close in on title

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live blog of the La Liga fixture between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the RCDE Stadium!

Following Barcelona's victory over Osasuna on Saturday evening, La Blaugrana are on the verge of securing the top-flight title with four games to spare, and Hansi Flick's men could be celebrating by the close of play tonight.

Make sure you do not miss a beat with our Espanyol vs. Real Madrid blog below!

What do Barcelona need to win the La Liga title?

Courtesy of Barcelona's 2-1 triumph against Osasuna - given to them by goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres - La Blaugrana hold a mammoth 14-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table.

No other team is still in contention for the Spanish top-flight title, and as Real Madrid have five games left to play, Alvaro Arbeloa's men can claim a maximum of 89 points.

Therefore, Los Blancos simply need to win this evening to keep the title race at least mathematically alive; a draw would bring their maximum total down to 87 points, while a loss would mean they could finish with 86 at the most.

As Real Madrid chase victory at the RCDE Stadium, they will be without Kylian Mbappe, who is nursing a hamstring injury that could also rule him out of El Clasico next Sunday.