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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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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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