A day of chances and opportunity awaits FC Barcelona, and that too in a clash of rivals. The Derby of Barcelona will dictate just how soon can the Catalan giants place their hands on the La Liga Santander title. At the RCDE stadium, awaits Espanyol to help unveil the answer.
Match Details:
Date: Sunday, 14th May 2023
Competition: La Liga Santander
Matchday: 34
Time: 09:00 pm CET
Venue: RCDE Stadium
Match Overview:
FC Barcelona visits their Catalan neighbors at the RCDE Stadium to face off against Espanyol in the Barcelona derby, one that may be remembered for more than just its already historic namesake this time around.
That is because this game could mark the crowning of this season’s La Liga Santander champions, with FC Barcelona consequently winning the Spanish league for the 27th time in their history.
La Blaugrana would ensure the title mathematically if they manage to take away all 3 points in their game against the 19th-placed Espanyol. However, it is a widely acknowledged concept, that relegation-battling teams are never easy opponents near the end of a league campaign.
Facing demotion, Espanyol will be surely putting their lives on the line to win points for themselves, and will also have the added motivation of not wanting to let their Catalan rivals be named victors at the RCDE Stadium of all places.
In terms of form, top of the table with 11 points and a game in hand, FC Barcelona have secured 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the last 5 league outings. In terms of points, they have accumulated 10 out of the 15 possible points at stake. Their last match was a 1-0 win over a stubborn CA Osasuna side that tested Barca’s mettle to the very last minutes.
On the other hand, Espanyol are facing the prospect of being demoted to the Segunda Division, as they currently sit just one place above last at 19th. In terms of their last 5 games, Espanyol has 1 win, 3 losses, and 1 draw, managing 4 points from a total of 15.
FC Barcelona now have their entire squad fit and available for this game, as even the previously injured Sergi Roberto has received medical clearance for the game. With Xavi well aware that his primary objective is winning La Liga at all costs, it should be expected that the manager will likely line up with his strongest possible eleven.
Should they win, FC Barcelona will be crowned the 2022/2023 La Liga Santander champions. However, the actual presentation of the title itself will be reportedly done at Spotify Camp Nou in accordance with Barca’s next home game, as per Mundo Deportivo.
