Som L´Espanyol: The Barcelona Derby

The Barcelona derby usually takes a back-seat to the clásico, a reminder that Espanyol have rarely been seen as a real rival for the blaugrana, or at least from their perspective. From ours, well you can probably see the sign that our supporters on the Curva Jove hold up: no sois un rival, sois el enemigo, (You are not a rival, you are the enemy). For us it is of vital importance to measure ourselves and our project by.

After a few years of sputtering performances, caused by the growing pains of moving into a new stadium while the economy tanked, not to mention the sort of tragedy that Dani Jarque´s death was to the team, we have recently been impenetrable at home where we have been the number one team in La Liga: 7-0-0. Our away form is less than stellar, but that´s just part of having a very young team. You´ll have your ups and downs. Being fourth is no fluke though. We were 15 minutes from third this last weekend on the road at one of the most difficult places to play in Spain: San Mamés. Espanyol are very talented, we have one of the best youth team structures in Spain, and we have a dynamic coach that was once club-captain.

The preparations are going well for the derby match. Our captain, Ivan de la Peña, who is out injured, was interviewed saying that we certainly couldn´t compete with FC Barcelona over a long season for titles, not just yet at least and not under this economic arrangement, but in one match over 90 minutes, anything can happen. Like two years ago when we were last and they were first and in the midst of that famous run for 6 titles, we beat them; the first time the last placed club had ever beaten first in Spain. The problem is that the hero of that match won´t play, and may not ever play again: my favorite player de la Peña. We´re confident, our players have known their´s since both sets were children, so there will be no surprises, but it´ll still be tough.
It looks like our starting eleven is pretty healthy coming into the match as well. Other than some minor knocks, Javi Lopez is day-to-day, but we´ll be fine on that end I think, plus none of the three players (Ruiz, Forlin and Duscher) that were carrying cards last weekend received a fifth card, so they´ll be available for the derby match at least. I think it´ll be a tough match, but not as physical as it was two years ago when it was a virtual kick-fest. I think we´re better than that now and I think we´ll bring intensity, but we have some good ball-handlers and ball-winners to contend with Barca.
Our starting eleven: 4-2-3-1: Kameni in goal of course. Chica, Forlin, Ruiz and Didac in defense with a double pivot of Javi Márquez and Baena in front of them. Aldo Duscher might come in for either of them throughout the game if some ankles need to be stepped on, but I think Pochettino will start the younger players to pressure more. Ex-Madrid canteranos Callejón and Luis Garcia will play on either wing, and ex-Barcelona canterano Verdú will play in the middle, with Osvaldo alone up top.

Their starting key player: When the opposition has the likes of Villa, Iniesta, and Xavi, let-alone Messi, I´d be hard-pressed to choose one, but I think Pedro is their forgotten-man. I´d be wary of him in any close game.

Predictions: Other pericos might fan the flames of this rivalry more than I will, but I won´t stock the fires here. Not today. I have to give a shout-out to Andrés Iniesta who showed himself to be a class act when he scored the now-famous winning goal in the World Cup. He stripped his Spain shirt and dedicated it to his friend, former Espanyol captain Dani Jarque. It was an emotional moment for us. Dani might have been an alternate on that squad, he was certainly in their sites, and he was taken away from us, and this is the first derby since that World Cup final.

Do I think they can put up 5 on us? Without a doubt, but I´ll say that it´ll be more difficult for them than playing La Real last week. Our derbies usually are. I think our streak continues. I can dream for a 2-1 win but I´s settle for a score draw at our bombonera at Cornellà-El Prat.