📏 Form Guide

Barcelona

WDWWWW 📈

Barcelona, following on from their previous result, will be hoping for more of the same after the 1-2 La Liga triumph over Atlético Madrid.

In that game, Barcelona had 67% possession and 22 shots on goal with 8 on target. For Barcelona, the scorers were Marcus Rashford (42') and Robert Lewandowski (87'). For their opponents, Atletico Madrid had 6 attempts on goal with 2 on target. Giuliano Simeone (39') scored for Atlético Madrid.

Barcelona haven’t had any problems with scoring, hitting the target in one hundred percent of their last 6 games.

They have totted up the amount of 17 during that time while also conceding a total of 6.

Pre-game facts show that Barcelona:

• haven't been beaten in the league by Espanyol in their last 29 matches. A very long run.
• have not been beaten in their last 15 league matches at home. A fantastic home record.

Espanyol

LDDLLD 📉

In the game prior to this, Espanyol drew 0-0 in the La Liga tie with Real Betis.

In that match, Espanyol had 30% possession and 8 attempts on goal with 1 on target. At the other end, Real Betis got 19 shots at goal with 6 on target.

Espanyol have been effective going forward leading up to this encounter, having scored 7 goals in their previous 6 matches. While their manager Manolo González will no doubt take that as a positive sign, Espanyol have been somewhat leaky at the back, having also been scored against in 5 of those same outings. Such a trend isn’t assured to follow through here, of course.

Leading up to this clash, Espanyol:

• have not emerged victorious against Barcelona when they've played them away from home in the last 14 matches in the league. What a horrible run of results.
• are without a win away from home in their last 7 league games.

↔️ Head to head

A quick look at their past head to head meetings stretching back to 13/02/2022 tells us that these encounters have not been kind to Espanyol. They have not managed to come away with any victories at all whereas Barcelona have dominated them, winning in 67 per cent of those matches played.

In all, 20 goals were scored between them throughout the course of those matches, with 14 from Barça and 6 created by Periquitos. That’s an average goals per game figure of 3.33.

The previous league meeting featuring these sides was La Liga match day 18 on 03/01/2026 which ended up with the score at Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona.

That day, Espanyol managed 31% possession and 14 attempts on goal with 7 of them on target.

Barcelona got 15 attempts on goal with 6 of them on target. Olmo (86') and Robert Lewandowski (90') scored.

The referee was Víctor García Verdura.

📋 Team News: Barcelona

We are thinking that Barça may well go for a 4-3-3 formation this time featuring Joan García, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martin, Álex Balde, Pedri, Eric García, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal, Ferrán Torres and Marcus Rashford.

📰 Team News: Espanyol

We are inclined to think that Periquitos could decide to play in a 4-4-2 system using Marko Dmitrovic, Omar El Hilali, Miguel Angel Rubio, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero, Cyril Ngonge, U. González de, Pol Lozano, Tyrhys Dolan, Eduardo Expósito and R. Fernández Jaén.

⚡ Prediction

We’re of the opinion that Barcelona will probably have the majority of the possession and should be able to turn a few of their chances into goals.

At the same time, Espanyol may well struggle to get a goal of their own but we do think that it’s more than likely that they will be scoring here.

Our selection here is for a controlled 3-1 winning score for Barcelona when the full-time whistle blows.

Peter Guest, 09:05 08/04/2026