Goal

List of goalscorers

0 - 1
17'
L. Messi
0 - 2
26'
O. Dembélé
0 - 3
45'
Luis Suárez
0 - 4
65'
L. Messi
Press

Match report in news

End of match

End of match

  • 97'
    FT: Espanyol 0-4 Barcelona. The Leo Messi show sees Barcelona to a comfortable victory here as Barcelona claim Catalan bragging rights. Two free-kicks from the Argentine, along with goals from Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele mean that the reigning champions move three points clear at the top of the LaLiga table.
  • 95'
    Barca have one final chance as Munir's effort from an angle is deflected into the arms of Diego Lopez.
  • 93'
    Vidal and Busquets both picks up knocks in the same passage of play, but both should be fine to continue.
  • 91'
    Borja Iglesias has a go with a low effort after a pullback from the left, but Semedo does well to block his effort.
  • 90'
    5 minutes added on.
  • 89'
    Granero dinks the ball in and Baptistao meets it, but it is an easy save for Ter Stegen.
  • 89'
    Vidal bundles Sergio Garcia to the ground 25 yards out and Espanyol have a dangerous free-kick.
  • 85'
    Baptistao fires just wide after some nice interplay on the edge of the Barca box.
  • 82'
    Victor Sanchez heads Sergio Garcia's centre over the bar following a quickly-taken corner.
  • 81'
    Rakitic is replaced by Denis Suarez.
Substitution

Substitution

at Barcelona
  • 79'
    Chenges for both sides as Barca's Luis Suarez is withdrawn for Munir, whilst Esteban Granero replaces Sergi Darder for Espanyol.
Card

Yellow card

a Espanyol
  • 79'
    Didac Vila is booked for tugging back Leo Messi, who has been exceptional tonight.
  • 77'
    Barca's clean sheet remains intact for now as Espanyol continue to look for a consolation.
  • 73'
    GOAL DISALLOWED! Duarte extends a big right leg to prod home Sergio Garcia's free-kick on the volley at the far post, but it is overturned by VAR for a marginal offside call. It never rains, but it pours for the hosts.
  • 70'
    CHANCE! Coutinho cuts in off the left and sees his powerful effort kept out by Diego Lopez, before Rakitic can only head straight at the Espanyol stopper in the aftermath.
Substitution

Substitution

at Barcelona
  • 68'
    Ousmane Dembele is replaced by Philippe Coutinho.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Barcelona en el 65'
  • 65'
    GOAL! BARCELONA! MESSI! 0-4! Another free-kick, another goal. It's inch-perfect again from the Argentina as he curls the ball over the wall and into the top left corner of the goal. Could we be on for a rare hat-trick of free-kicks?
  • 63'
    Espanyol make a couple of changes, with Sergio Garcia and Leo Baptistao replacing Oscar Melendo and Hernan Perez.
  • 58'
    CHANCE! Barca rapidly counter but Dembele tries to do too much and his chance is lost. However, he feeds Messi, who skips past his marker and fires low right-footed, but Diego Lopez spreads himself to make the save.
  • 56'
    Suarez has a go this time, but his effort is blocked by the wall.
  • 54'
    Marc Roca brings down Messi 30 yards out and he'll have a chance to show his free-kick prowess once again.
  • 52'
    Barca have definitely eased off here, they're probably entitled to after that first-half display.
  • 48'
    Espanyol force a couple of early corners here, but they come to nothing.
  • 46'
    We're back underway here! This could be a long 45 minutes for Espanyol.
  • 45'
    HT: Espanyol 0-3 Barcelona. It has been one-way traffic so far here as goals from Leo Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez give the visitors a commanding lead at the break.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Barcelona en el 45'
  • 45'
    GOAL! BARCELONA! SUAREZ! 0-3! Dembele slides Suarez in behind in the left-hand channel and the striker does brilliantly to hold off David Lopez, before prodding an effort through the legs of Diego Lopez and into the far corner from the narrowest of angles.
  • 42'
    CHANCE! Espanyol go close this time as Hernan Perez plants a free header over the bar from 10 yards. He should be doing better there.
  • 37'
    OFF THE POST! It's Messi's turn to test the woodwork as his header crashes back into play off the upright. Barca could be out of sight here.
  • 36'
    OFF THE POST! Suarez exchanges passes with Messi, as the Argentine's inch-perfect return leaves his strike partner one-on-one, but his first-time effort on the volley comes back off the post and Vidal's follow-up is bravely blocked away.
  • 32'
    CHANCE! Duarte calls Ter Stegen into a routine save with a header at the far post. That's probably been the hosts' best chance so far.
  • 31'
    Espanyol force a succession of corners down the left, but Barca stand firm.
  • 30'
    More good play from Messi as he drives half the length of the pitch before slipping in Suarez down the right, but the Uruguayan has just strayed beyond the last defender.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Barcelona en el 26'
  • 26'
    GOAL! BARCELONA! DEMBELE! 0-2! Pure filth from both Messi and Dembele. The Argentine dances away from tackle after tackle in the middle and when things get scrappy he finds a wonderful slide-rule ball for Dembele out on the left. The Frenchman gathers the pass before chopping onto his right foot and powering an effort into the far corner.
  • 25'
    Suarez tries an audacious back-heeled effort as the ball rolls loose in the box, but he fails to make proper contact.
  • 24'
    Melendo does well to initiate a counter, but Borja Iglesias loses possession.
  • 21'
    CHANCE! Barca rob the ball on the edge of the Espanyol box and Messi plays in Suarez, but he is denied by the outstretched leg of Diego Lopez.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Barcelona en el 17'
  • 17'
    GOAL! BARCELONA! MESSI! 0-1! Is this man the best free-kick taker in the world right now? The Barca star steps up and curls the perfect set-piece over the wall and into the far corner. He's genuinely more dangerous over a free-kick than a penalty.
  • 16'
    Danger. Messi goes on one of his marauding runs, only to be halted unfairly by Duarte just outside the box dead centre of goal. The Argentina will fancy this one.
  • 12'
    David Lopez is forced to turn the ball behind his own goal as Ousmane Dembele looked to cross low into the box after a neat piece of interplay with Messi left the Frenchman all laone down the right.
  • 9'
    CHANCE! Espanyol have the first sight of goal as Borja Iglesias is put in on the counter, but he drags his first-time effort well wide of Ter Stegen's far post.
  • 7'
    Mesis is once again crowded out as he looks to cut in onto his left foot on the edge of the box.
  • 5'
    Messi combines with Suarez and tries to burst into the box, but he is met by a wall of blue shirts.
  • 3'
    Barca pressing with plenty of energy early on here.
  • 1'
    Barca get us underway here!
Start of match

Start of match

  • PRVW
    The players are out on the pitch here and we'll be underway shortly!
  • PRVW
    Both teams are just finishing up their warm-ups as we close in on kick-off here.
  • PRVW
    Here's how these two sides have fared recently going into this one:
  • PRVW
    BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal; Messi, Suarez, Dembele. Subs: Cillessen, Miranda, Vermaelen, D. Suarez, Aleña, Coutinho, Munir.
  • PRVW
    ESPANYOL: Diego Lopez; Javi Lopez, Didac Vila, David Lopez, O. Duarte; H. Perez, Victor Sanchez, Darder, Marc Roca, Melendo; Borja Iglesias. Subs: Roberto, Rosales, Naldo, Granero, Piatti, Baptistao, Sergio Garcia.
  • PRVW
    Barcelona are unbeaten in La Liga action against their Catalan rivals since 2009, when they suffered a shock defeat to Espanyol at the Nou Camp.
  • PRVW
    Honours were even last time the sides faced off; the match ended in a 1-1 draw at Cornellà-El Prat.
  • PRVW
    Espanyol have not beaten Barcelona at home since January 2007.
  • PRVW
    Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde: "It's an evenly matched derby, because there is only a small gap between the two teams. This season Espanyol are a side who come at you and who have the ball. They have kept their quick players and want to take the initiative more. Rubi's sides always want to play the ball out. They are always good at set pieces and press a lot."
  • PRVW
    Espanyol boss Rubi: "We started to talk about the derby from Wednesday onwards, so have had three days to prepare. Our players want to be the first ones in history to beat Barcelona in the league at the RCD Stadium. If we play like we did before the Getafe and Girona matches then it'll be a very even game. I don't know if it'll be the most even derby ever, but there's no doubt that we'll have a chance."
  • PRVW
    The hosts go into this one knowing that a win could see them rise into the top four ahead of Sunday's fixtures, whilst reigning champions Barcelona are looking to restore their cushion at the top of the table following Atletico Madrid's comfortable win over Alaves earlier today.
Info

Pre-match

08 December 2018, 20:45

Referee: Del Cerro Grande | VAR: Jaime Latre

Stadium: Stage Front Stadium

  • PRVW
    Hello and welcome! We've got a Catalan derby for you today as Barcelona make the short trip to the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat to take on Espanyol.