Barca’s 3-3 draw (after being 3-0 up) against Celta Vigo before the international break extended Barça’s winless La Liga streak and summed up the on-field problems and morale-sapping results that Xavi must now address.
Barcelona
Club legend Xavi Hernandez returns to Barcelona, but this time in the dugout, as he’s charged with turning around what is the club’s second lowest 12-game La Liga points tally in the 21st century. Their 3-3 draw (after being 3-0 up) against Celta Vigo before the international break extended Barca’s winless La Liga streak and summed up the on-field problems and morale-sapping results that Xavi must now address. The new boss couldn’t have chosen a better first game than the ‘Derbi Barceloní’, as Barcelona are unbeaten in 22 La Liga matches against city rivals Espanyol – their longest-ever undefeated H2H streak against their derby foes. As Xavi plots a way to make the Nou Camp a fortress again, he’ll expect to extend Barcelona’s 11-game winning La Liga H2H home run.
Espanyol
H2H history can only get you so far though, and what Espanyol have is improving form in their corner with three wins across six La Liga games – as many victories as they managed across their previous 25 LL fixtures. Three points here will actually propel Espanyol above Barcelona, and possibly heal some of the wounds of a 1-0 loss here back in July 2020 that relegated the visitors. Alternating between draw and defeat on the road since the start of the season, gaining a first win at the Nou Camp since February 2009 – a match that saw Barça boss Xavi play in midfield – seems a stretch of the imagination. However, a stalemate would add to Espanyol’s H2H draw record of 38, which is more than they have recorded against any other La Liga opponent.
Barca’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen has gone six La Liga games without a clean sheet, but does have six clean sheets from eight La Liga appearances vs Espanyol. He will have to stop red-hot Raul de Tomás who is looking to become only the second Espanyol player in the 21st century to score in six consecutive La Liga games. No side has seen more match goals (eight) beyond the 80th minute in La Liga home games than Barcelona.