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The beautiful city of Barcelona will be split into two when local-rivals FC Barcelona and Espanyol lock horns in La Liga this Saturday evening.
Barcelona, who are without a win in their last four La Liga matches, will be desperate to return to winning ways at the Camp Nou. Espanyol, who are currently level on points (17) with their decorated local rivals, are planning to spoil the party.
With club legend Xavi taking charge of Barcelona for the first time on Saturday, the Blaugrana will be looking for a dominant display. However, given Barcelona’s recent performances in the Spanish top-flight, an upset cannot be ruled out.
Before the international break, Barcelona surrendered a three-goal lead to draw at Celta Vigo. Espanyol, on the other hand, bagged a convincing 2-0 win over Granada at home.
The Catalan derby has produced some stellar matches over the years and we are hoping for something similar this Saturday as well.
Here are our top-five predictions for Espanyol’s trip to the Camp Nou in La Liga:
#5 Espanyol to go for the kill at the Camp Nou
Historically, the Catalan derby has been a fairly one-sided affair. Barcelona have always been the overwhelming favorites and rarely disappoint. This time, Espanyol are smelling blood and will do their best to make the hosts pay.
Barcelona have conceded 15 goals in La Liga this season, two more than Espanyol. Their defenders have cracked under pressure time and again and Espanyol will fancy themselves getting the better of Barcelona this Saturday.
Espanyol forward Raul de Tomas is a force to be reckoned with and could prove to be a handful for Barcelona.
The Real Madrid graduate has seven goals to his name in La Liga this season and will fancy adding a couple more this weekend.
#4 Injury woes to make team selection difficult for Xavi
In his first match in charge of Barcelona, Xavi will be dealing with a long list of absentees.
Sergio Aguero, Martin Braithwaite, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele have all been ruled out, while former teammate Gerard Pique remains a doubt.
The former Barcelona midfielder will have to depend on Luuk de Jong to join Memphis Depay in attack if he sticks with the 4-3-3 formation. Else, he could experiment and let Philippe Coutinho and Gavi flank Depay in the attack.
With attacking options few and far between, it will be interesting to see how the newly-appointed Barcelona manager deals with the injury crisis on Saturday.
#3 Philippe Coutinho to play a starring role
At his unveiling as Barcelona manager, Xavi spoke at length about the admiration he has for Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman is clearly a player Xavi appreciates and we should see more of him when he returns to the fold.
However, since he is out with an injury, Barcelona’s another high-profile acquisition, Coutinho, should get the nod to start up top.
The Brazilian is usually at his best as an attacking midfielder but can play well on either flank as well. We expect him to start at right-flank, but have a free role against Espanyol.
Under the new manager, Coutinho will be desperate to prove himself, and playing a starring role this Saturday will be the perfect first step.
We expect the former Liverpool man to either score or create against Espanyol at the Camp Nou.
#2 Barcelona to improve their pressing and distribution
Injury-stricken, out of form and hopelessly outmuscled by opponents, Barcelona of 2021 are nothing but a shadow of their glorious selves.
Not only have their results been embarrassing, but they have also stopped playing with their trademark swagger. The team desperately need someone to turn their fortunes around.
Appointing former Barcelona conqueror Xavi is Barcelona board’s hail-mary pass, not unlike Zinedine Zidane was for Real Madrid.
Xavi has the unwavering support of Barcelona supporters and has the quality to bring the magic back, especially in midfield.
On Saturday, Xavi will have the chance to see what he will be working with at least until the next season. It may take some time for him to instill his philosophies, but we are certain to see a much more engaging Barcelona side this weekend.
Expect Barcelona to press higher on the pitch, move the ball quicker, and stretch Espanyol like they used to back in the day.
If all goes according to plan, we could be in for a dizzying evening at the Camp Nou.
#1 Xavi to kick off his Barcelona spell with a win
Xavi, a two-time treble-winning midfielder, will start his managerial spell with a fierce local derby. Going into the match with a depleted squad, the game against Espanyol will not be a straightforward affair.
However, we are still backing Barcelona to make a winning start under their former midfielder.
Espanyol’s sharpness in front of goal could make life difficult for Barcelona defenders, but the Camp Nou outfit should eventually score the winning goal.
Not only do they have some of the best players at their disposal, but they also have the optimism of Xavi’s appointment in their corner.
We predict a narrow 2-1 win for the hosts in La Liga this Saturday.
