Espanyol, currently in a desperate situation, is aiming to postpone Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations by pulling off an upset win against their rivals.

Barcelona has a chance to win the league for the first time since 2019 if they win at the RCDE stadium, which is an unlikely prospect for the home supporters. However, they can also lift the title if Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who are in second and third place respectively, fail to win their matches against Elche and Getafe. Meanwhile, Espanyol is struggling at the bottom of the table, currently in 19th place and three points from safety with five games remaining.

Despite their position, Espanyol holds the distinction of being the only team to score against Barcelona at Camp Nou this season, achieving a 1-1 draw in December. They were relegated in 2020 for the first time in 30 years but made a quick comeback in 2021. Nevertheless, the upcoming derby is a chance for them to make a statement.

Joselu, who scored Espanyol’s equalizer in the last match against Barcelona, warned that in derbies, the playing field is leveled. “One side can be better and another worse, but there, all strengths are leveled out,” he said. Espanyol’s recent defeat by Sevilla puts them in a tough spot, but defender Leandro Cabrera is not giving up. Espanyol has a tough run-in with matches against Atletico Madrid and Almeria at home and Rayo Vallecano and Valencia away.

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Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires. Busquets, who has played over 700 matches for the Catalan giants, is a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain. While some Espanyol fans may want to offer him farewell applause, he knows that in enemy territory, the stakes are too high.

From one generation to another. pic.twitter.com/5Ppc1oC9Go

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 12, 2023