League leaders Barcelona can seal the La Liga title with a win over 19th-placed Espanyol, who are struggling for survival in the top flight.
Before to their matchup with Barcelona, Espanyol is currently in 19th position in the league, three points behind Valencia in 17th. To maintain their chances of remaining in La Liga, the host club desperately needs a win. With a victory in this game, the visitors would clinch the league championship.
In Spain's first division, Espanyol is in a precarious position as they have only won one of their past 10 games and have slipped to the 19th spot in the standings.
Even though they are only three points below Valencia in 17th place, another disappointing performance would put them in a precarious situation. Just 17 points have been earned by Espanyol in their last 16 home games, and they haven't defeated Barcelona in the league since February 2009.
Barcelona, on the other hand, is in a great position and has a chance to win the 2022–23 season's championship. They have a stellar record of 26 victories, four draws, and three defeats, amassing 82 points from their 33 games.
They entered this match with wins at home against Real Betis and Osasuna, which was aided by their absence from Europe. They had the greatest away record in the league, earning 37 points from 16 games and winning 12 of them, despite suffering three road losses this season.
In the rematch between the two, Espanyol prevailed against Barcelona to secure a 1-1 draw. They also want to pull off something similar. It won't be as simple this time, though. The Hard Tackle is closely examining this match while attempting to foresee the strategies that will be employed.
Team News & Tactics
Espanyol
José Gragera will not be available to Luis Garcia due to an injury. Martin Braithwaite, a former Barcelona striker, is ready to rejoin the team, giving Espanyol a big boost.
🔴 #EspanyolMEDIA | 🎥 Recupera la roda de premsa de Luis GarcÃa prèvia a l'#EspanyolBarça #CamÃDeLaSalvació
— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) May 13, 2023
Garcia is anticipated to open this match with a 5-3-2 formation. In the goal, Fernando Pacheco will debut. The wingbacks will be Brian Olivan and Oscar Gil. The three central defenders will be Leandro Cabrera, Sergi Gomez, and Cesar Montes. The challenging responsibility of keeping Robert Lewandowski silent will fall to them.
Gil and Olivan, who will play on the wings, will assist the back three. In the middle of the park, Denis Suarez, Sergi Darder, and Javi Puado will assume command. Braithwaite and Joselu are probably going to attack together in the meantime.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Pacheco; Gil, Montes, Gomez, Cabrera, Olivan, Puado, Suarez, Darder; Joselu, Braithwaite.
Barcelona
Before this match, Xavi Hernandez has no new injuries to worry about. They have a full roster for this road encounter with Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembele back in the mix.
🔊 Xavi: "The time is near. We really want to win LaLiga. It is a very important step for the team and for myself. Closing off this season with a League title and a Super Cup will be great" pic.twitter.com/fKwUD874Bc
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 13, 2023
The 4-3-3 formation, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal, will be used by the Spanish manager. As the full-backs, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will play. In the meanwhile, Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen will team up in the middle of the defense.
The holding midfielder will be Sergio Busquets, who will depart Barcelona at the conclusion of the current campaign after 18 illustrious years. Frenkie de Jong and Pedri will be on his side.
After almost three months, Dembele may play in the lineup. Although Gavi is most likely to play as the left flank, the Frenchman might start as the right winger. The line will be led by Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer in La Liga.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde, F de Jong, Busquets, Pedri, Dembele, Lewandowski, Gavi
Key Stats
Barcelona has an impressive record against Espanyol, having prevailed in 36 of the past 61 games.
In their previous 25 La Liga games, Espanyol has failed to win against the Catalan powerhouses.
In their past 14 league games on the road versus Espanyol, Barcelona has not lost.
In 175 La Liga games versus the home team, the Catalan giants have prevailed 101 times.
Barcelona's previous two road games in La Liga have ended in losses.
Player to Watch
Robert Lewandowski
Unquestionably, one of the world's deadliest strikers is Robert Lewandowski. With 19 goals in just 29 games, the Polish international is dominating La Liga's scoring rankings. Six assists have also been credited to him.
Opponents will have to pay strict attention to Lewandowski. He is a continuous danger in the box because of his clinical finishing, deft movement, and aerial skill. A single flash of brilliance may alter the outcome of a game.
Prediction
Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona
With their superior form and position in the league, Barcelona will begin this encounter as the undisputed favorites. They will be really determined to win since they may win the championship.
Espanyol, though, will be vying for a spot in La Liga and may put up a tough fight. Nonetheless, Barcelona is most likely to prevail in the end given their dismal home record this season. The Hard Tackle projects a Barcelona victory of 2-0.
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