Espanyol v Barcelona
15:00
Barcelona breathed life into the title race with their dramatic win in the Clasico last week and then demolished hapless Osasuna in midweek 7-1. It’s probably too little too late but they certainly come into the Catalan derby in buoyant mood. Espanyol, too, have plenty to be positive about as they’re on course for a first top-half finish since 2011.
Espanyol have won eight of their last 11 home matches but its eight years since they last beat Barca and 10 since they last beat them at home. Nevertheless, they usually make their neighbours work for it and this fixture has had fewer than three goals in each of the last five seasons, though eight of those last 11 home matches did see at least three strikes.
Barca’s form has been inconsistent for much of this campaign, particularly from a defensive perspective as they’ve already conceded more than in the whole of last season. They’ve kept just four clean sheets in their last 16 away matches and given Espanyol’s good form we might see the home side encouraged to give it a go. Seven of Barcelona’s last 10 trips to middle-third teams have had at least four goals with half the last eight having six or more and we expect plenty of goals at both ends.
Betting intelligence provided by Football Form Labs
