Barcelona vs Espanyol Tips & Preview – Hosts backed to dominate Catalan derby

Tolu Shotade

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Last updated: Thu 09 Apr 2026 13:52

Tolu Shotade 1 hour ago

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Barcelona host Espanyol in a Catalan derby at Camp Nou.
Barca aiming to secure 2nd straight La Liga title; Espanyol seeking to end winless run.
Barcelona always dominate the derby, boosting their title chase with potential Lewandowski goals.

Barcelona vs Espanyol

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Barcelona welcome rivals Espanyol to Camp Nou for Saturday’s Catalan derby, with the Culers chasing a second consecutive La Liga title.

The hosts will be eager to respond after their midweek setback, while their city rivals are desperate to end a frustrating 13-game winless run.

Barcelona News

Barcelona head into this clash following a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The result marked their first home loss since January, when they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in Europe’s premier competition.

Despite that setback, Hansi Flick’s side remain firmly in control at the top of La Liga, sitting seven points clear of second place after Robert Lewandowski’s winner secured victory in their last league outing. The defeat to Atleti also ended Barca’s impressive nine-game unbeaten run across all competitions, a stretch that included eight wins. It was also the first time they had failed to score in their last 11 matches.

Before Wednesday’s loss, the Blaugrana were on a remarkable 19-game winning streak at Camp Nou. They have also won eight of their last 10 home matches by at least a two-goal margin. Barca’s control in front of their fans has been emphatic, winning both halves in four of their last five home fixtures. Their games have also delivered plenty of entertainment, with over 2.5 goals recorded in eight of their last 10 matches at Camp Nou.

Espanyol News

Espanyol have struggled badly since the turn of the year, failing to win any of their last 13 La Liga matches. They did at least stop a two-game losing streak last time out after battling to a goalless draw away at Real Betis.

Despite their poor run, the Parakeets remain 10th in the table, sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone. However, they have already suffered eight league defeats in 2026. Although they have scored in 10 of those 13 fixtures, defensive frailties remain a concern with just one clean sheet during that spell.

Manolo Gonzalez’s men have also struggled badly on their travels, going winless in their last seven away matches while losing four times in that run. Two of their last three road defeats have come by more than one goal, while producing over 2.5 goals in six of their last eight away fixtures.

Head to Head

Barcelona have dominated this rivalry, going unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with Espanyol and winning seven of those encounters. The Blaugrana are currently on a four-game winning streak in this fixture, with each of those victories coming by at least a two-goal margin. Lewandowski was also on target when Barca secured a 2-0 win in the reverse meeting.

Verdict

Barcelona v Espanyol

Barca’s dominance in this derby is hard to ignore. Having won the last four meetings by at least two goals, the hosts are tipped for another victory despite starting the game a goal down.

They have also won both periods in four of their last five home matches, making Barcelona to win both halves an appealing pick. After scoring in their last league game and in the previous clash between these sides. Lewandowski is a strong candidate to score at any time.

Barcelona -1

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Robert Lewandowski

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Barcelona

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