Barcelona vs Espanyol Lineups April 2026 – The Catalan derby returns as Barcelona prepare to continue their impressive performance in LaLiga.

In this match, Barcelona will aim to secure their seventh consecutive league victory while also putting behind their disappointment in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Espanyol arrive in a difficult situation after inconsistent performances throughout the season.

The match is scheduled to take place at Camp Nou on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 06:30 PM local time.

Barcelona are currently at the top of the La Liga standings with a seven-point advantage over Real Madrid in second place, while Espanyol sit in 10th position and are still striving to approach the European competition zone.

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Condition of Both Teams Ahead of the Match

Barcelona

Barcelona come into this derby match after a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. This result forces Hansi Flick’s team to work hard if they want to maintain their chances of advancing to the semi-finals.

Nevertheless, their main focus at this time remains on La Liga, with the target of achieving a seventh consecutive victory to further strengthen their position at the top of the standings.

Barcelona currently hold a seven-point lead over Real Madrid, although that gap could be reduced to four points if Los Blancos win against Girona.

This season, Barcelona have been very dominant with 25 wins from 30 league matches and have scored 80 goals. They are also strong favorites to win their 29th league title in the club’s history.

In terms of head-to-head records, Barcelona are also highly superior over Espanyol. They have won the last four matches, including a 2-0 victory in the previous meeting this season, and have remained unbeaten since January 2018 in the Copa del Rey.

Espanyol

The last time Espanyol defeated Barcelona in La Liga was in February 2009 at Camp Nou with a score of 2-1. Since then, they have consistently struggled against their city rivals.

Espanyol’s performance in 2026 has also been very disappointing as they have not secured a single victory since the turn of the year.

The team managed by Manolo Gonzalez once showed potential as a contender for the top four, but a decline in performance has left them in the middle of the table.

Since their last victory in December against Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol have gone through 13 matches without a win, recording eight defeats and five draws. However, a goalless draw against Real Betis in the most recent match could serve as a slight positive momentum.

In addition, Espanyol will arrive with slightly fresher physical condition compared to Barcelona, who have just played a demanding Champions League match.

Barcelona vs Espanyol Lineups April 2026

Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

Barcelona are expected to make several rotations after the Champions League match, although they will still maintain their main strength to preserve competition at the top of the standings.

Several players such as Pedri are confirmed to be absent due to a hamstring problem, while Gavi has a strong chance to return as a starter after appearing as a substitute in the previous match.

Frenkie de Jong is also likely to return to the squad, but some players such as Raphinha, Andreas Christensen, and Marc Bernal are still absent due to injury. Hansi Flick is also predicted to make several changes in the defensive and midfield lines.

Espanyol (4-5-1)

Espanyol will be reinforced again by Pere Milla, who has completed his suspension. However, they are still without Javi Puado due to a long-term injury, as well as Clemens Riedel, who must be absent due to accumulated cards.

With a fairly solid performance in the last match, coach Manolo Gonzalez is most likely not going to make many significant changes. Pere Milla is expected to return to the midfield, while Fernando Calero will fill the position left by Riedel.

Closing

This Catalan derby once again presents high tension between two teams with very different conditions.

Barcelona arrive as league leaders with sharp form, while Espanyol are trying to escape a negative trend that has lasted for quite a long time.

Nevertheless, derby matches always have their own story, and the final result could still bring surprises at Camp Nou.