The 5 Most Intense Derbies in Europe This Season

#3 Espanyol vs FC Barcelona (Catalan Derby) - 04/02/2018

The Catalan derby was full of a lot of controversies, with Gerrard Pique at the heart of everything

This season, not many derbies have lived up to their expectations like the Catalan derby. Barcelona and Espanyol faced each other in one of the most heated games of the season.

Before this particular fixture, the two sides had already met in the Copa Del Rey where the Blaugrana narrowly triumphed over their city rivals.

In the build-up to the game, several controversial reports were in the air. Barcelona superstar, Gerard Pique had already labelled the Periquitos as "Espanyol de Cornella" after edging past them in the Copa Del Rey.

In return, the club reported the Spaniard to the RFEF alongside his teammate, Sergio Busquets for their hands in the saga.

Moreover, it was reported that fans of the two clubs had chanted a lot of abuses on each other during the recent match.

All these developments ensured that both teams were prepared for a hot derby. The match, which came up on the 4th of February, 2018 lived up to its expectations.

It was one of the most intense matches of the campaign, due to the relevance, rivalry, controversies and situations that surrounded it.

It took place under an unfriendly atmosphere, and a thunderous rain ensured that it was a tough affair for both sides.

Barcelona initially rested their talisman, Lionel Messi in this important fixture, giving their rivals some advantage as they would not be thinking about the threat that the Argentine poses.

The game began with so much pressure, as both teams fought hard to claim the bragging rights for their respective fans.

Barcelona dominated most of the first half, with new signing Philippe Coutinho coming close to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute, as his powerful shot narrowly missed the post and hit the crossbar.

Espanyol later went ahead in the second half through a Gerard Moreno header in the 66th minute.

The waterlogged pitch remained a nightmare for Barcelona, making it very tough for the Catalans to play their decent passes.

However, the club responded brilliantly as Gerard Pique scored a perfect header to secure a 1-1 draw at the RCDE stadium.

After his goal, the Barcelona defender went mad and jubilated wildly in front of the Espanyol fans.

The chants, insults, and reactions that followed his celebrations prolonged the unhealthy relationship between these two clubs.