La Liga - TV and streaming channels to watch the Catalan Derby on November 20, 2021

November 19, 2021 By Oscar Rojas

Topics: La Liga, Barcelona, Espanyol, TV Schedules, TV Listings

The big story in this game will be Xavi's debut as coach. Will he be off to a good start in his first game as Barcelona's boss?

One of the most attractive games taking place in La Liga this weekend will be the one between Barcelona and Espanyol, mainly because there will be many factors for fans to keep an eye on it.

First and foremost, the return of the Catalan Derby after a one-year hiatus following Espanyol's relegation will be cause for celebration among football fans. This clash has always been truly interesting for Catalan fans, and the return of such games while both teams are in the top-flight will surely become quite an event in Catalunya.

Secondly, Xavi's debut as Barcelona coach will be something to keep an eye on. Expectations are high among Blaugrana supporters due to the former player's history with the club, and some of them believe that only him will be able to turn things around for Los Culés during their current time of need.

Last, but not least, the state of the competition for both teams hints that this could be a closer match than initially expected since both teams will enter the clash with the same number of points, although Los Culés have a game in hand. Barcelona's goal difference gives them a slight edge over Los Periquitos, and if any of these teams find the way to beat their rivals this Saturday, they will find themselves on the verge of reaching the top five clubs in the competition.

Barcelona enter this game with high hopes, although the form shown by some of their stellar players might give Xavi something to worry about. On top of that, there will be some injury absences for him to deal with, which may cause his main idea of how to make things work for Los Culés may not be easy to show on the pitch.

On the other hand, Vicente Moreno's squad will try to prove that their recent results, in which they have lost only one of their past six, has not been a matter of luck. For that purpose, the blue and white side will surely rely on Raúl de Tomás' impressive form in front of goal, which has seen the former Real Madrid footballer becoming the third-best striker in La Liga with seven goals. His contributions on the pitch along with Adrián Embarba's performances throughout the competition, will surely be Espanyol's best weapons against the Blaugrana crew.

Barcelona vs Espanyol - Who's in and who's out?

Barcelona - Injured: Sergio Agüero, Ousmané Dembelé, Ansu Fati, Nico. Doubtful: Sergiño Dest. Ineligible: Dani Alves.

Espanyol - Injured: Keidi Baré. Doubtful: Oscar Gil.

Barcelona vs Espanyol - Head-to-head stats

This will be the first edition of the Catalan Derby since Espanyol's return to the Spanish Primera División.
Barcelona will enter this game on a whopping 22-game streak without a loss against Espanyol in La Liga matches.
Since Espanyol's last victory against Barcelona in all comps, Barcelona have gone on to win four of their last six games. The others ended in draws.
Espanyol's last La Liga win against Barcelona took place on February 21, 2009. That game, held at Camp Nou, ended in a two-one win for Los Periquitos.
Xavi Hernández played 36 games against Espanyol with Los Blaugranas. His record during that run saw his team win 25 times, with nine draws and only two losses against their inner city rivals.
Espanyol's coach Vicente Moreno will be facing Barcelona for the third time in his career. He is still looking for his first win against Los Culés after two losses.