FC Barcelona v Espanyol: Football is back at Spotify Camp Nou!

FC Barcelona v Espanyol: Football is back at Spotify Camp Nou!

53 days after the last game, a dramatic late win away to Osasuna, La Liga gets back under way with a local derby

It's been a exciting month and a half in football, but it has all been happening far away from Spotify Camp Nou, which opens its doors again today for the derby with Espanyol. It seems like an age ago that a ten-man Barça won its last fixture, a dramatic comeback away to Osasuna.

Barça were on a five-match winning spree before the competition was put on hold, and that was enough to mean that they spent the World Cup and Christmas in the best possible place - top of the league.

Araujo and Lewandowski in the squad

There are few games that raise at much passion at Spotify Camp Nou as a local derby with Espanyol, this time in a ground that's going to look a little bit different following the work done on the stadium during the break.

The team will include Robert Lewandowski who has been handed a temporary reprieve from his three-match ban until the definitive verdict is announced. The team is also delighted to welcome back Ronald Araujo from an injury of several months. 

The full squad is as follows: Ter Stegen, Bellerín, R. Araujo, Sergio, O. Dembélé, Pedri, Lewandowski, Ansu Fati, Ferran, Memphis, Christensen, Marcos A., Jordi Alba, Kessie, S. Roberto, F. De Jong, Raphinha, Kounde, Eric, Iñaki Peña, Balde, Gavi, Pablo Torre and Arnau Tenas. 

Espanyol in trouble

Things aren't looking so bright for Saturday's visitors. Espanyol are 16th in the table with just two wins to their name, just one point above the relegation zone. They are winless since beating Valladolid on October 16. But they have picked up some impressive points, including a draw away to Atlético Madrid, and an Espanyol in need of points can often be a very dangerous foe to face.

Força Barça
Força Barça

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