Espanyol-Barça: a championship derby

A title shot for Barça and a lifeline for Espanyol . A championship derby in Cornellà. The Barcelona fans will celebrate the title tonight if they can subdue their neighbor on their own turf. Meanwhile, the Blue and Whites have the option of celebrating a hard-earned survival with their improvement in the second half of the season. A party for the Blaugrana or a party for the Parakeets. A match packed with incentives. For Barça, a win would cap off a spectacular season with two games left to play. A campaign in which they would go on vacation with the League , Copa del Rey, and Super Cup titles in their bag and the satisfaction of having competed like a great in the Champions League , where they came within a couple of minutes of the final.

Barça had the chance to win the title this Wednesday without leaving the coach, but Madrid beat Mallorca in the final second (2-1) despite the battalion of injuries suffered by the team, which is still being coached, for a short time, by Carlo Ancelotti. This victory postpones, at least until Thursday, the title for Flick's team. They couldn't win it on television and now they'll try to do so as the main event. And without Ferran Torres, who has undergone emergency appendectomy surgery.

The Blaugrana will be without Ferran Torres in Cornellà, who has undergone appendicitis surgery.

They'll try to do so at Espanyol's stadium. This isn't new. In fact, it was the last stadium where Barcelona were crowned league champions. It happened two years ago when the Blaugrana, then managed by Xavi, finished off the league title with a sensational performance, winning 4-2 after taking a 4-0 lead. Lewandowski scored two goals, Balde another, and Koundé the missing goal, while Puado and Joselu made things better for the Espanyol fans.

Famous, for their embarrassment, are the images of what happened next when Espanyol fans invaded the pitch to prevent the Barça players from finishing their on-field celebrations of their title. The blue and white club will strengthen security measures to try to avoid incidents, especially considering that the stadium is threatened with closure. In this regard, Flick spoke of respect beforehand. It is understood that he is asking his players to be respectful and not overdo it in a hypothetical celebration, and also that the fans can be courteous to the league champions if necessary.

But first, they have to play a match that won't be easy for either side. Barça, who are two points away from securing the title, haven't lost in the tournament since December 21 ( Atlético Madrid ) and have accumulated 14 wins and 2 draws since then. But Espanyol, at home, are a tough opponent. When Betis beat them 2-1 on May 4, they hadn't lost at the RCDE Stadium since October. Real Madrid lost there, and Atlético and Athletic Bilbao had to settle for a draw. Espanyol is a very different team from the one that collapsed at Montjuïc in November, but Barça wants to be champions now so they can unwind after a marathon of matches. But the world won't end for either team if a result eludes them. Both Barça and the Blue and Whites will then have two more opportunities to achieve their goal.

The dream of a historic triumph

Espanyol has gone almost two decades without a win against Barcelona at home in La Liga. But Manolo González, a stubborn coach convinced of his team's talent, believes that it's possible this year. He has no shortage of arguments, as his team already defeated Real Madrid at their peak at the RCDE Stadium, where they have only conceded four defeats this season, and the symbiosis he has achieved with the fans transforms his team into a dangerous force for all their rivals. In any case, the recipe for beating the team that, barring a monumental debacle, will be the next La Liga champion is none other than "defend hard and run a lot," the Galician coach summed up yesterday in a press conference.

González's message to anyone who wanted to listen was clear. This Espanyol team has no hang-ups, more developed as a team since the last winter break. "Competing at our level, it's hard to beat us. We think we're capable of beating any opponent, [...] we were already capable of beating Real Madrid at their best moment of the season," González warned. There's also that conviction in the locker room, somewhat "touched" and "angry" after the defeat at Leganés due to the "worst first half of this year." "The players have been very aware of the situation for a long time. But in the world of football, there are mistakes and bad games. What happened at Leganés has to serve as a learning experience, and now we're going to compete at the highest level. We're not inferior to any opponent," he asserted.

Competing at our level, it's hard to beat us; we think we're capable of winning." Manolo González Coach of Espanyol

In 2025, Espanyol is a completely new team. They compete in any circumstance, concede very few goals, and almost always score. At home, they have also stopped opponents with enormous pedigree. González explains this change in a different approach to the game, protecting themselves more without the ball and not applying high pressure, something that will be key for tonight's match. "When we've tried to create situations where we have to fight all over the pitch, like in Girona , we've struggled a lot. But when we've defended in our own half and jumped to the man when necessary, we've caused difficulties for many teams." That, according to him, is the path to follow to hurt Barça.

González has made no secret of the fact that securing survival by beating their eternal rival at home "would be a huge joy, the best reward for both the players and the fans."

Whether it's against Barça tonight or in the other two remaining matches, against Osasuna or Las Palmas , Espanyol needs one more win to mathematically guarantee survival. "We're in a privileged position to achieve our objective (staying in the league); nothing else is on our minds. We're concerned about winning for ourselves, not for other reasons." He urged the fans and his players to keep a "cool head."

"We want them to behave as they always do, to help their team with common sense." He hopes that his players "have heart and brains to allow us to work and compete at the highest level," he said.

Celebrate with respect

Hansi Flick has never experienced a derby at the home of Espanyol. But he's already been told that visiting the city's neighboring team's ground is neither easy nor a walk in the park, because it's not just about football . The two sets of fans maintain a strong rivalry, and that's why, when the RCDE Stadium hosts Barcelona , ​​its stands are filled with parakeet fans who generate a passionate atmosphere. It's also reviving, as happened two seasons ago, when Xavi's Barça secured their La Liga title there and Espanyol lamented relegation to the Second Division. "If we are champions against Espanyol, we will do what is necessary, but with respect," stated Hansi Flick, who yesterday seemed more cautious than ever. From his words, it was clear that he has already been told about the pitch invasion by Espanyol's radicals that forced the Blaugrana to flee to the locker room. Flick has therefore asked his players not to dwell on possible celebrations. But above all, the German conveys that he doesn't want anything or anyone to distract him. He refuses to talk about celebrations or his renewal, a topic that isn't his priority right now because "the dinner with Laporta was informal. I'm only thinking about winning the three points out of respect for the competition," he said.

Yesterday was a big day at the training ground, as evidenced by President Laporta's visit. Otherwise, the routine didn't change, because it's in this that Flick finds the key to his success. The coach conducted a video session beforehand and, after the warm-up, tried out his now-familiar starting lineup without Balde and the now-suspended Iñigo Martínez in his familiar games.

If we are champions in Cornellà, we will do what is right, but with respect." Hansi Flick, Barça Coach

Flick tried Andreas Christensen in the center of defense alongside Pau Cubarsí, who caused a minor scare during the training session. A fortuitous knock during the trial match with Lewandowski caused a sprain in the youth squad's right knee. He withdrew from the group and made a couple of runs before leaving as a precaution. "It's not over, but it's fine," insisted the coach, who avoided giving any clues about the starting eleven today. He didn't even want to reveal whether Ter Stegen or Szczesny will play between the sticks. He only wanted to speak out in defense of Araújo, who became the center of criticism after the Milan match, where he was involved in Inter's last two goals. "We all make mistakes, me too," he stated.

In any case, if Cubarsí is fit, he'll be a starter. Araújo would have been if Barça went into the match as champions, but Madrid's victory delayed the title. This Blaugrana team wants to win the club's 28th La Liga title as soon as possible, and the first under a methodical Flick, who, after answering twelve questions, looked at his watch and headed to the RCDE Stadium for the traditional coaching photograph with Manolo González, his counterpart. "Espanyol has had a great second half of the season," he declared. Speaking of coaches, Flick, who won't be writing a second book about how he won four Clásicos against Ancelotti's Real Madrid , wished the Italian coach luck, saying, "He's a gentleman and one of the best coaches in the world."