Just three days after the agonising 2-0 defeat at home to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, and with just another three days before the chance to make amends for that loss at the Metropolitano in the second leg, it is important for FC Barcelona not to be let events on the European stage distract them as they host local rivals RCD Espanyol in a Saturday 6.30pm CET kick-off at Spotify Camp Nou.

After winning 2-1 last weekend in yet another game against Atlético Madrid, while Real Madrid slumped to defeat away to Mallorca, the Catalans moved an impressive seven points clear at the top of the table. And Madrid slipped up yet again on Friday, only drawing 1-1 at home to Girona, meaning that victory today would give Barça a nine-point lead.

That wouldn’t be definitive, but wouldn’t be far off. At this rate, Barça could be crowned champions with games to spare.

Given the relative comfort on the domestic front, and the need to produce something very special in Tuesday’s European fixture, Hansi Flick could be forgiven for rotating his squad for the derby. In his pre-game press conference he hinted strongly that key players would be rested. We have to do our job in LaLiga” he said. “But in the end the most important thing is winning the Champions League. That’s our objective.”

Espanyol form guide

The visitors’ own fortunes have taken a dramatic turn for the worst since the Christmas break. Already among the top teams in LaLiga, they ended 2025 with a run of five consecutive victories. A first-ever appearance in the Champions League was starting to look like a very real possibility.

Then it all went wrong. They have failed to win any of the thirteen games played so far in 2026 and unless they can re-find their earlier form, they won’t be playing European football at all next season.

Head to head

Not only do Espanyol need points, but they would also love to do something about their poor record in La Liga’s oldest fixture, one that dates all the way back to 1900. In the last 29 league meetings with Barça, home and away, they have failed to register a single victory. They did win a cup first leg in 2018, although they ultimately lost on aggregate. 

The 2-1 win at Camp Nou in February 2009, with two goals from Ivan de la Peña, is now part of Espanyol folklore. But in the decade and a half since then, the best they have managed away to Barça was a single draw in 2022.

There is nothing Espanyol supporters like more than getting one up on their more famous neighbours, but for their youngest supporters that’s something they have never seen happen. Barça need to make sure their attention isn’t swayed too far by thoughts of Tuesday, because there’s a mood among the pericos that today offers a chance to finally enjoy that elusive win.

Team news

Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Raphinha remain injured, but Frenkie de Jong was declared fully fit this week. That leaves Flick with a conundrum. Should he use this game to give the Dutch midfielder a run-out, or should would it be wiser to leave his comeback for Tuesday?

There may be concerns over Pedri’s hamstring after he took a knock on Wednesday and had to leave the field early. However, it doesn’t look like it was anything serious, and the Canary Islander has been included in today’s squad.

But if Flick does choose to rest players with the Metropolitano in mind, who should they be? After all, what would be a seventh straight Liga victory would set up an almost irreducible difference at the top of the Liga table, but defeat would be opening the door to Real Madrid. So he can’t afford to take this game too lightly.

But as the German coach said, “there’s a lot of quality in the squad and the starting XI will be strong.” Even a second-string Barça is a very fearsome opponent.

One man who is sure to feature is Pau Cubarsi, who will be suspended for the European fixture.

Espanyol, meanwhile, have an almost full-strength side. Javi Puado is a long-term absentee with a knee injury, and Clemens Riedel is suspended, but otherwise coach Manolo Gonzalez has no major concerns.