Espanyol vs Barcelona summary: LaLiga champions, score, goals, highlights, LaLiga

Here's the top of the LaLiga table tonight:

Espanyol have it all to do!

Fully deserved!

With 85 points, Barcelona have clinched the title with four games remaining.

Congratulations to Xavi and his team!

Some nasty scenes here as the Barcelona players all run down the tunnel to avoid the Espanyol fans who came charging onto the pitch to attack them.

FT: Espanyol 2-4 Barcelona

Barcelona have done it!

They are LaLiga champions and fully deserve it!

And there it is!

BARCELONA ARE CHAMPIONS!!!

There will be two minutes added on!

This will be the first title for many of this Barcelona squad, including the youngsters like Gavi, Pedri and Balde.

Some Espanyol fans have left the ground, could you blame them?

More Barcelona changes

It's always nice to win the league title in your own ground, but this will be sweet for Barca - away to one of their main rivals, in the Catalan derby.

As we enter the final 10 minutes, Barcelona fans get ready to celebrate their first league title under Xavi.

Lewandowski sends an effort just wide as he looks for his first ever LaLiga hat-trick.

Espanyol have started to play, but yes, it is too late.

It's only a consolation for Espanyol but they will take that right now.

Melamed is clearly offside for Espanyol.

Barcelona changes

Two teams will join Elche in Segunda next season, and Espanyol will have to get through a tricky run-in if they are to survive. They went down two years ago but had been a mainstay in the top flight for a long time.

This will be torture for Espanyol fans. Watching your team lose 4-0 against your biggest rivals, who could be about to relegate you and also win the league.

Shots

Espanyol - 4

Barcelona - 12

Not long now...

With his side 4-0 up, Xavi is about to make a couple of changes.

Lewy stat

According to Opta, Lewandowski is the first Barcelona player to score two goals in a first half of a LaLiga away game against Espanyol since Patrick Kluivert in December 2003.

Barcelona go 4-0 up!

Espanyol have 31 points with four games to go after tonight. It's not looking good at all...

De Jong clips a diagonal over Puado and Koundé powers in to head home and seal it for Barca.

There is no coming back from this.

Lewandowski is looking for his ninth title in a row, having won eight in a row with Bayern. That is a helluva CV!

The ball is crossed from the right into Joselu, who fires over with pressure from Araújo.

Espanyol subs

Luis García has made two changes. His side were poor in the first half and need at least three goals to rain on Barca's parade.

Barcelona lead 3-0 as we get going after the break. 

I have two Espanyol changes to report.

And we're back underway for the second 45!

Just 45 minutes away!

Xavi's side are just 45 minutes away from clinching the LaLiga title. 

Two Lewandowski goals and a Balde strike have Barcelona 3-0 up at half-time. They're on the brink of lifting the league title!

There's the whistle for the break!

And it's all but over here. Some Espanyol fans can't hold back the tears. They are in big, big trouble.

Barca even have their celebrations organised. If they do win here, they will go through the streets of Barcelona on a bus tomorrow. 

With tonight's goal, Lewandowski now has 30 goals in all competitions this season. What a signing he has been!

Espanyol get a rare attack and win a corner from it. It's straight into the arms of Ter Stegen. That is such a waste. Luis García comes off his bench to have a word. 

Pedri sends his corner to the near post. Espanyol clear. It's 2-0 to Barcelona if you're just joining. Espanyol have a mountain to climb.

De Jong takes out Denis Suárez and Espanyol have a free.

Barca are well on top - it's exactly what Xavi would have asked for. Get the early goals and control the game.

Pacheco keeps Lewandowski out with a fine save.

Barcelona are cruising to the title. Espanyol have been so poor and the home fans are showing their concern.

Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona

Barca are purring!

Pedri gets to the byline and clips a cross to the back post, where Balde taps home from close range.

Darder fouls Gavi. That could be some early frustration coming out.

Espanyol 0-1 Barcelona

Barca have gone in front and as it stands, they will win the league title.

Espanyol have it all to do after conceding so early against their rivals.

Balde does so well to get to the byline and fires a cross in for Lewandowski to score from close range.

It's just the start Barca wanted.

Busquets, in his last ever derby, fouls Melamed and the home side have a free.

PEDRI!

What a chance!

He should really score but shoots wide from close range and Xavi can't believe it.

Espanyol and head coach Luis García are under serious pressure.

They have only taken four points from their last 10 games. 

Busquets goes down after a challenge from Melamed. It's been a spicy start to the derby!

Koundé has been booked for an early challenge on Brian Oliván.

Barcelona are on the brink of another league title. Will they do it tonight?

Espanyol get us underway!

There's a cracking atmosphere inside the RCDE Stadium!

The players are in the tunnel and are all set for the derby!

Joselu: Espanyol's key man

The 33-year-old striker, a Spain international, is Espanyol's great hope and is LaLiga Santander's third-highest scorer with 14 goals.

He already scored one against Barcelona in the first derby of the season at Camp Nou.

Barcelona are 1st with 82 points, 11 ahead of Real Madrid and 13 ahead of Atlético Madrid, after Simeone's side lost against Elche earlier today. 

Kick-off is just over 10 minutes away!

Robert Lewandowski has managed to find the net again. He has scored twice in his last three games, in the midst of the battle for the Pichichi in LaLiga. He has 19 goals compared to Karim Benzema's 17.

Espanyol fighting to stay up

Espanyol are currently 19th with 31 points, four points behind Cádiz. The Catalan side have only taken four points from their last 10 games. 

Barcelona set for first league title under Xavi

Barcelona visit the RCDE Stadium with the possibility of confirming themselves as the champions of LaLiga 2022-23. 

It's a title they have not won in four years (2018-19). It's set to be the first LaLiga title without Leo Messi and the first for Xavi Hernández as Barça coach. 

Derby atmosphere

The home supporters are up for this one!

Substitutes

Espanyol: Álvaro Fernández, Fortuno, Calero, Aleix Vidal, Pierre-Gabriel, Pedrosa, Edu Expósito, Vini Souza, Kedi Baré, Lazo, Puado, Koleosho.

Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, Arnau Tenas, Eric García, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Kessié, Pablo Torre, Ferran Torres, Dembélé, Ansu Fati.

BARCELONA

Busquets to leave Barça: what are his appearance, trophy stats?

Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets has confirmed that he is to depart the Blaugrana in the summer, after 15 years in the club’s first team.

Barcelona's XI vs Espanyol

This is the side that could win the league title today. 

Espanyol XI

Luis García has named his team for the Catalan derby.

Barca don't have far to go

Xavi's boys are on their way!

BARCELONA

Will Gerard Piqué join Barcelona’s league title celebrations?

If Barcelona win LaLiga this weekend, the club have organised a celebration through the streets of Barcelona.

Former Blaugrana defender Gerard Piqué could also be part of the club’s celebrations, four years on from their last league title.

Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández was asked in his press conference ahead of the Catalan derby with Espanyol if the club were considering inviting Piqué to join them in the parade.

Piqué retired from the game in November after a hugely successful career, and the Barça coach gave the go-ahead for his presence at the celebrations. “We have thought about it and we will invite Piqué so that he can celebrate the title. He is a special case because he retired. Others who were also in the squad left in January and are now at other clubs.”

Admin is feeling confident...

Four years since Barcelona's last title

It has felt like quite a while since Barcelona have enjoyed this feeling of being just one step away from winning the LaLiga title. 

The last time they were on the verge of lifting the title was more than four years ago, on 27 April 2019, when they faced Levante at Camp Nou. 

With the need for three points to be crowned champions, a solitary goal from Lionel Messi, who came on in the second half, handed the title to the Blaugrana.

Too little, too late for Espanyol?

If one man can help them survive, it is their midfield maestro Sergi Darder.

In Barcelona's hands

It's that simple. If Barcelona win today, they will be crowned champions of LaLiga for 2022-23.

Espanyol are fighting for their lives though, so it may not be that easy...

Espanyol vs Barcelona: welcome!

Hello and welcome to AS USA's live coverage of this crucial Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barcelona.