With the end of the international break comes the return of club football action. Somewhere in Spain tomorrow will witness a Catalan Derby featuring Barcelona and Espanyol.
Barcelona well balanced on the table with a ten point gap ahead second place would be hoping to continue their win streak as the league approaches its end. Espanyol on the other hand sit 13th in the and statistically are not looking men enough to handle a free scoring barca team.
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Barcelona
As we enter the 29th week of the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona are less than ten matches away from lifting another league title. Although it is still mathematically possible for the second and third teams on the table to stage an upset but that would only be possible if the Catalans let their guard down this weekend and give the follow up teams the morale to chase them all the way to the last day of the season.
With twenty wins, six draws and two defeats and currently on a six match win streak, Ernest Valverde's men has provent to be a force to reckon with in the Spanish top flight and would without doubt, be too much to handle for the visitors.
Not since February 10 has Barcelona failed to win a match, winning Sevilla, Real Valladolid, Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis and of course, Real Madrid. With Espanyol's latest win against Barcelona coming in February 2009, expect them to falter again at Camp Nou.
Team News
Barcelona's talisman Lionel Messi's return to the international team didn't go as expected with the Argentine attacker picking up an injury against Venezuela. He is expected to shake off the injury and be part of the squad to fave Espanyol though.
Rafinha and Dembele are out through knee surgery and hamstring problem respectively and are out of the squad to play Espanyol while Suarez also shook off the ankle injury he picked up against Real Betis before the international break and should make the starting line up after seen training with the team.
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Espanyol
Making a strong start to the season with just two losses out of 11 and sitting at top four made everyone think Espanyol a team to watch out for this season but all of a sudden, things went blur with the team and it has been a downward ride since then.
There is a feeling of improvement in their play recently. Although having lost by one goal to a Ben Yedder inspired Sevilla before the international break, Rubi's men were impressive with their play for much part of the match but checking all these doesn't make them strong enough to challenge Barcelona on paper.
Luckily for Espanyol, they won't be worrying about relegation as they sit 13th and 9 points off relegation zone. They also have the opportunity of making it into the top 10 before the league matches run out.
Team News
Espanyol would make do without the services of Sergio Garcia, Pablo Piatti and Sergi Darder with the first two out through injury and Darder serving suspension after being redcarded against Real Betis in the last match before the international break.
Espect January signing Wu Lei to start and Mario Hermoso to stand in central defence after impressing for Spain in the international break.
Victor Sanchez as well returns from suspension and is available to be included in the line up.
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Predictions
Barcelona ran out 5-0 winners when both teams met earlier this season and this same fixture last season saw the Blaugurana run out 4-0 winners, coupled with the fact Barcelona hasn't lost to Espanyol for over a decade and their pursuit to close in on the league title before the Champions League gets to its tougher stages, it is only the gods and Barcelona themselves can stop Barcelona from winning this one.
My Picks
Barcelona to win.. Odds @ 1.19
Barcelona win to nil... Odds @ 1.70
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