Espanyol 2-2 Barcelona: summary: score, goals, highlights, LaLiga
Espanyol 2-2 Barcelona: as it happened
Barcelona take lead through Pedri
Darder equalises for Espanyol before half-time
Araújo goes off injured
Gavi goal ruled out for offside
Raúl de Tomás puts Espanyol ahead
Piqué & Nico Melamed sent off
Luuk de Jong scores late equaliser
A really dramatic ending at the RCDE Stadium. It was a brilliant derby. Barcelona kept pushing for the equaliser and eventually got it through substitute Luuk de Jong.
FT: Espanyol 2-2 Barcelona
And that is that!
The big striker heads home past Diego López in the 96th minute!
DE JONG SCORES! 2-2
Goooooooooooooooooooool!!!
YES THEY CAN!
It's LUUK DE JONG!!!
Can they find a late, late equaliser?
Barcelona have 30 seconds!
Both teams are down to 10 men!
Nico Melamed is also sent off for his involvement with Piqué!
Piqué picks up a second yellow for pushing Nico Melamed.
PIQUÉ IS SENT OFF!
Luuk de Jong chance!
The Dutch forward heads over...
There will be six additional minutes played!
Dembélé's cross is once again cleared by Espanyol, who are defending for their lives now.
Raúl de Tomás clears another Barcelona cross. He has been excellent at both ends for the home team.
Adama crosses for Aubameyang but it's just too high for the former Arsenal captain. Adama once again a threat down the Barcelona right.
The resulting corner ends up in Diego López's hands.
Barcelona go close!
Dembélé's cross is tipped wide by Raúl de Tomás.
It's a 50-50 ball between Piqué and Puado in the Barcelona box. Piqué comes storming in with a strong but fair shoulder.
Espanyol are on top now but it's Barca who need the goal. Pedrosa nutmegs García and wins a corner.
Possession:
Espanyol - 38%
Barcelona - 62%
It's getting quite nasty now. Eric García lunges into a tackle on Nico Ribaudo. It has that derby spice. Espanyol lead 2-1.
Adama pulls RDT to the ground and the place erupts. Adama is all over him. Espanyol don't get a free.
Barcelona are now playing a 3-1-4-2 formation.
Piqué is booked for a foul and he's not happy with the decision.
Nico comes on with a sheet of instructions from Xavi for Busquets. Piqué is now over for a look at the plan. They have less than 20 minutes to implement the plan whatever it is!
Dest, García and Piqué are the back three.
Barcelona changes:
OFF Gavi & Alba
ON Nico & Dembélé
Barcelona are going three at the back!
Barcelona are also about to make a couple of changes...
Espanyol change
I'm looking back at the replay of the second Espanyol goal and it really is of the highest quality.
The RCDE Stadium is rocking!
Can Espanyol beat Barcelona at home in LaLiga for the first time since the 2006/07 season?
It's a superb goal to put the home side ahead. Darder picks the forward out with an excellent chipped pass and the Spanish striker takes it down on his chest before burying it past Ter Stegen!
RAÚL DE TOMÁS SCORES!!!
Gooooooooooooooool ESPANYOL!
Aubameyang comes on for Barcelona
Double change for Espanyol
Vilhena is booked for fouling Busquets.
Frenkie de Jong is offside in the build-up and it's back to 1-1 on the scoreboard!
VAR has ruled the goal out!
Gavi wins the ball off Vidal in the box and slams past Diego López. What a finish by the 17-year-old, into the roof of the net.
Gooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!
GAVI!!!
Espanyol's corner is cleared by Piqué, who is making his 594th appearance for Barca today.
Xavi was quick to praise Gavi this week, saying that "he's a joy to coach".
Gavi shoots but it's blocked. Good defending by Espanyol in the box. 1-1
Adama brings out his bag of tricks and flicks the ball inside to Pedri. The ball ends up back at his Adama's feet. He opens up his body, but his right-footed cross evades everyone in the box.
Fouls committed:
Espanyol - 7
Barcelona - 9
Araújo has a bag of ice wrapped around his leg. Eric García has replaced him for the second half.
It's 1-1 at the RCDE Stadium if you're only joining.
Adama Traoré has been Barcelona's main outlet. Alba has also impressed down the left.
Barcelona change:
OFF Araújo
ON García
Barcelona get us underway for the second half!
It's quite an even contest here at the RCDE Stadium. We'll be back with the second half very soon!
HT: Espanyol 1-1 Barcelona
Darder goes for goal again. Nobody closes him down, but his shot flies high and wide of Barcelona's goal.
Adama Traoré has been really good for Barca!
Just before Darder's goal, Ferran Torres headed just over the bar after another fine Jordi Alba left wing cross.
Raúl de Tomás tees up Darder, who curls his effort past Ter Stegen from 20 yards. Beautiful strike. 1-1
Gooooooooooooooooolll!!!!
SERGI DARDER!!!
There are calls for a Barcelona penalty. Alba's cross hits Bare but it's more ball to hand and Hernández Hernández says no.
Cabrera shifts left to cut out the surging run of Adama. Good defending by the centre-back. Espanyol have yet to really test Ter Stegen.
Xavi is on the touchline calling for calm. He recently spoke about how he really 'suffers' when Barcelona don't have the ball.
De Jong's corner from the left is cleared by Raúl de Tomás. It's a solid clearance by the former Real Madrid man. It remains 1-0 to Barcelona as we approach the half-hour mark.
Adama fouls Pedrosa as he contests for a cross sent to the back post.
Bare is booked for a challenge on Araújo. He completely misses the ball and kicks the Uruguayan.
Adama Traoré crosses from the right but Espanyol are able to clear. He looks dangerous every time he gets at the home defence. Many will criticise his stats but he definitely is a handful.
Vidal takes out Gavi down the left. Jordi Alba's cross is met at the front post by Raúl de Tomás.
In La Liga, Barcelona are currently on their longest ever unbeaten run against Espanyol, an incredible 23 derbies.
In that time, they have scored 56 goals, and Espanyol just five.
Traoré shoots wide!
Adama Traoré latches onto the long ball, turns Cabrera inside out and fires a left-footed effort wide. It's positive play by the loanee, who has clearly been chosen ahead of Ousmane Dembélé for the right-wing role at Barca.
Espanyol are allowing Barcelona to play it out from the back. Vicente Moreno's men have set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Raúl de Tomás leading the line.
Gavi runs into Bare and Espanyol get the free-kick. Gavi is playing on the left of the Barca midfield. Adama Traoré is on the right and Ferran Torres is in the false 9 role.
This is a derby after all but there's nothing in that between the two players. Barcelona lead 1-0 if you're just joining us.
And we have some early handbags between Ferran Torres and Bare.
The corner falls back out to Espanyol and they recycle it all the way back to Diego López. Espanyol break forward again. Vilhena lays it off to Raúl de Tomás, whose snapshot rolls wide.
Javi Puado does well down the right. His cross comes off Gavi and goes out for a corner for the home side.
It's Pedri's first league goal of the season.
Espanyol 0-1 Barcelona
Pedri gives Barcelona the perfect start. Jordi Alba crosses to the back post, where Pedri is all alone, and the Canary Islander passes home off the post from close range.
Goooooooooooool!!!
PEDRI
Espanyol are playing from left to right in this first half. Barcelona, wearing their all-yellow kit, are playing from right to left.
Espanyol get us underway in the derby!
The players make their way onto the pitch...
Kick-off at the RCDE Stadium is just minutes away!
Barcelona unbeaten in 23 vs Espanyol
Head to head
Barcelona traditionally have the upper hand in the derby. Espanyol have not won a league derby since Iván de la Peña’s famous brace at Camp Nou in 2009, and have not won at home since the 2006/07 season.
In La Liga, Barça are currently on their longest ever unbeaten run against their local rivals, an incredible 23 derbies.
Piqué set for 594th Barcelona appearance
Gerard Piqué overtakes Carles Puyol to make his 594th Barcelona appearance today.
It takes Piqué up to fifth in the list of all-time appearance holders at the club.
Espanyol's XI vs Barcelona
Raúl de Tomás leads the line for the home side.
Last five meetings between the sides
20/11/21 (Liga) Barça 1 (Memphis) Espanyol 0
08/07/20 (Liga) Barça 1 (L Suárez) Espanyol 0
04/01/20 (Liga) Espanyol 2 Barça 2 (L Suárez, A Vidal)
30/03/19 (Liga) Barça 2 (Messi 2) Espanyol 0
08/12/18 (Liga) Espanyol 0 Barça 4 (Messi 2, Dembélé, L Suárez)
Barcelona name their starting XI
Dest in for Alves is the only change from Barça's 4-2 win over Atlético last weekend.
Xavi's high praise for Gavi
The impact of Barcelona's teenage sensation Gavi this season has been "marvellous", according to head coach Xavi.
Since making his senior debut against Getafe in August, the 17-year-old midfielder has played 26 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competitions – matching Xavi's tally during his maiden campaign at Camp Nou in 1998-99.
Gavi will surpass that should he appear when Barca make the short trip to Espanyol today, with the visitors aiming to consolidate their top-four status in LaLiga.
The academy graduate's performances in the middle of the park have also culminated in a senior international call-up, making his Spain debut in the Nations League victory over Italy in October.
And while Xavi insisted there is still room for improvement, he has been delighted with the strides the youngster has taken.
"He's very good at recovering possession, taking the ball away from the opponents. He's very competitive and wins the right duels," the head coach said.
"He understands the high press very well; he's excellent at that. He turns very well when we want to play in between the lines.
"But he needs to organise himself, he needs to find the right resources in the right moments – knowing when to attack the space better, when to let the wingers run or when to pass it. These are tactical situations where he needs to improve.
"His production is spectacular. He's an incredible talent. At 17 years of age, to already have such an impact and play with the national side is marvellous."
Today's venue - RCDE Stadium
Espanyol used to play at the Estadi de Sarrià, just down the road from the Camp Nou.
The site was sold in 1997 and the team spent a decade at the Olympic Stadium, Montjuïc before moving to their new home, the 40,500 capacity RCDE Stadium on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Barça's impressive record vs Espanyol
Barça have gone 23 LaLiga games without defeat against Espanyol and could record the best unbeaten run by any team in any type of derby in the competition's history on Sunday.
Derby day in Catalonia
All the info you need on how and where to watch the LaLiga clash between Espanyol and Barcelona on Sunday 13 February at the RCDE Stadium.
Espanyol vs Barcelona: live!
Hello and welcome to AS USA's live coverage of the LaLiga matchday 24 fixture between Espanyol and Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium.