La Liga leaders Barcelona will resume their campaign with an away fixture against an in-form Espanyol side on Saturday.

The RCDE Stadium is all set to host the latest instalment of the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barcelona. Both teams are on a winning streak and will look to keep it intact in this high-voltage fixture.

The home team are fifth on the table with 33 points in their 17 matches, thanks to ten wins, three draws and four defeats. Espanyol have a five-point cushion over sixth-placed Real Betis, while they are four points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid; they do have a game in hand.

The Periquitos have won each of their last five league outings and are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over Athletic Club. While they were not in complete control, Espanyol made the most out of their chances and got the desired result.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are top of La Liga with 46 points in their 18 outings, with 15 wins, one draw, and two defeats. The reigning champions have won each of their last seven matches across competitions.

Since losing to Real Madrid towards the end of October, Barcelona have won all eight of their league fixtures and now have a comfortable four-point lead over the team in white. The Catalan giants are heading into this fixture on the back of a comfortable 2-0 win over Villarreal prior to the winter break in Spain.

Hansi Flick will look to ensure they resume the campaign with yet another win, extending their winning streak. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

RCD Espanyol

The home team will be without the services of Roman Terrats (muscular injury) and Charles Pickel (AFCON). While Javi Puado could return to the squad, he is unlikely to be risked in this fixture.

Espanyol will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Marko Dmitrovic will be in goal. Omar El Hilali and Carlos Romero should feature as the full-backs, while Fernando Calero is expected to pair up with Leandro Cabrera in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Edu Exposito will start alongside Pol Lozano and Urko Gonzalez de Zarate in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure Barcelona midfielders do not dominate the ball too deeply in their half.

Pere Milla and Tyrhys Dolan are expected to feature out wide on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Finally, Roberto Fernandez will spearhead the Espanyol attack against Barcelona this weekend.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Romero; Gonzalez, Edu, Lozano; Dolan, Fernandez, Milla

Barcelona

Andreas Christensen and Gavi are both out with knee injuries. Meanwhile, Dani Olmo and Pedri could return to the mix ahead of this fixture. However, Barcelona do have a boost as Ronald Araujo is back for the game against Espanyol after taking a short break from football.

The Catalan giants will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Joan Garcia will be in goal. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will feature as the full-backs. Eric Garcia could return to a central role in defence if Pedri is fit to start.

Garcia will pair up with Pau Cubarsi in the heart of the defence. Meanwhile, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game.

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will feature on the flanks, while Fermin Lopez should take up the number ten role. Finally, Ferran Torres should lead the line for Barcelona against Espanyol, with Robert Lewandowski starting on the bench.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Balde; Pedri, de Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Ferran Torres

Key Stats

• Barcelona have won each of their last eight league outings.
• Espanyol have been on a five-match winning streak in the league.
• The Catalan giants last lost in the league to Real Madrid back in October.
• The Blaugrana will be eyeing a fourth straight win over Espanyol.
• Barcelona last dropped points at the RCDE Stadium back in February 2022.

Player to Watch

Ferran Torres

Embed from Getty Images

Torres has been in such incredible form this season that Hansi Flick has been forced to start him ahead of star striker Robert Lewandowski. While age is slowly catching up to the Polish international, his place on the bench has a lot to do with how clinical the 25-year-old has been in the league.

While Torres has racked up just over 1,000 minutes in his 17 league outings, he has 11 goals and an assist. Given the kind of form the Spanish international has been in, Espanyol will find it very difficult to keep him quiet.

Prediction

Espanyol 1-3 Barcelona

Espanyol head into the Catalan derby full of confidence after a superb run of league form, and they will look to make life difficult for Barcelona with an aggressive press and quick transitions. Backed by a strong home record in recent weeks, the hosts should have their moments, especially if they can be clinical when chances fall their way.

However, Barcelona’s momentum and depth could prove decisive. Hansi Flick’s men have been relentless since their last league setback and possess enough quality in the final third to break down even an in-form Espanyol.

While the derby atmosphere may keep things competitive for long spells, the league leaders are expected to find a way through and extend their winning run with a controlled victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.