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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
ESPANYOL  Alvarez Galan, Moreno, Forlin, VilaGarcia, Verdu, Romaric, Weiss Thievy, Alvaro | BARCELONA  Valdes Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Cesc, Alexis |
Espanyol go into the Barcelona derby with a number of players suffering from niggling injuries. Walter Pandiani is still a doubt as he continues to battle back from a sore thigh muscle. Javi Lopez may be out until next week with a bruised left fibula and Juan Albin is still recovering from the surgery he underwent in September on his right abdominal muscle.
There is still some concern over the fitness of Raul Baena who is struggling with a left quadriceps injury, but on a positive note goalkeeper Carlos Kameni is back in training after his hamstring problem.
Pep Guardiola only has two injury problems in the Barcelona squad; Ibrahim Afellay and David Villa remain long-term absentess and will be out of action for the foreseeable future.
Victor Valdes, and Andres Iniesta returned to training on Thursday after sitting out the session on Wednesday.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- The last time Barcelona played Espanyol, Pep Guardiola's side won the match 2-0, with Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique both scored to seal the victory.
- Barcelona's first La Liga match of 2011 saw them defeat Levante 2-1 at Camp Nou, with Pedro bagging a brace to see his side to victory.
- The Camp Nou giants have scored well more than double the amount of goals that Espanyol have notched up in the league so far. Pep Guardiola's side have netted 50 times but their rivals have only scored 17.
- Espanyol's entire squad has scored the exact same amount of goals that Lionel Messi has scored in La Liga this season.
- Espanyol's last match saw the Catalan side lose 2-1 against Spanish Seguna B outfit Cordoba in the Copa del Rey.
- Joan Verdu plays his former side in this match. The Espanyol midfielder was a product of Barcelona's youth system and even made an appearance in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Apart from a 5-1 victory for Barcelona against Espanyol in December 2010, the Catalan derbies have been relatively tight affairs in recent years with one or two goals usually proving to be the difference. However, if Guardiola's side are in the mood that they displayed against Osasuna in their last match, it will be a long night for the hosts.
Editor's Prediction
Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona 
