By Graham Ruthven
Title formalities
Barcelona’s thrilling 4-3 win over Actual Madrid in Sunday’s Clásico will likely be remembered because the second Hansi Flick’s workforce successfully determined this season’s title race. The Catalans might, nevertheless, make it official by beating Espanyol.
Actual Madrid’s dramatic win over Mallorca on Wednesday night time signifies that three factors is all that Barcelona must seal the cope with three video games left to play, beginning with tonight’s journey throughout city.
The previous couple of weeks have been gruelling for Barcelona. They’ve overwhelmed Actual Madrid twice – as soon as within the Copa del Rey ultimate and as soon as to successfully win the title – and contested a basic Champions League semi-final, dropping 7-6 on mixture to Inter Milan.
Whereas a treble is not on the playing cards for Barca, LaLiga and the Copa del Rey would nonetheless symbolize a outstanding season. Flick and his gamers have proven themselves as the very best in Spain and now it’s nearly getting over the road.
Espanyol, in the meantime, want factors to safe survival with Manolo’s workforce simply 5 factors above the relegation zone. Three consecutive defeats have raised fears that Los Periquitos could possibly be sucked into bother.
Key gamers
Javi Puado has scored extra objectives (11) than some other Espanyol participant this season and has good cause to consider he can add to this tally in opposition to a Barcelona defence that has conceded 14 objectives in 5 video games in all competitions.
Joan García has been a standout performer for Espanyol this season and the goalkeeper, at the moment being tracked by large golf equipment in England and elsewhere, might want to discover his greatest type in opposition to Barcelona on Thursday night time. Manolo will arrange his workforce to play in a again 5 to maintain the opposition ahead line at arm’s size as a lot as attainable.
This will likely be a difficult process contemplating the firepower within the Barcelona workforce. Raphinha will likely be a menace after bagging a brace in El Clásico, taking his tally for the season to 18 league objectives. Lamine Yamal can also be succesful producing a second of magic at any time.
Pedri has loved the very best season of his Barcelona profession up to now, creating 65 probabilities in whole – solely Raphinha (87) has created extra. On the again, the de facto champions want the likes of Pau Cubarsí and Andreas Christensen to step as much as maintain issues tight.
Staff information
Pol Lozano missed the weekend defeat to Leganés, however might return from a quad harm to characteristic for Espanyol in Thursday’s derby. Proper again Omar El Hilali may even be recalled to the lineup following a one-match suspension.
Robert Lewandowski is anticipated to start out on the bench as he continues his restoration from harm. Iñigo Martínez will miss the match by means of suspension whereas Jules Koundé is anticipated to be unavailable.
Flick faces a call between Wojciech Szczęsny and Marc-André ter Stegen after the previous was favoured for the Clásico win over Actual Madrid. The Polish goalkeeper might maintain his place.
Prediction
It’s a formality, certainly? However maybe Espanyol can land just a few punches earlier than Barcelona’s title procession takes over: Espanyol 2-4 Barcelona.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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