Barcelona faces Espanyol in Matchday 36 of La Liga. A win would crown the Blaugranas as domestic champions. However, Real Madrid’s last-minute victory over Mallorca prevented Hansi Flick’s team from arriving at the RCDE Stadium already having secured the title.
Flick’s side is on the verge of completing a domestic treble. The league title could be sealed this Thursday against Espanyol, so the German coach is expected to field a strong starting eleven to get the job done.
Last-minute blow: Ferran Torres out
Although Flick is slowly recovering players, he suffered a major last-minute setback: Ferran Torres had to undergo emergency surgery on Wednesday due to appendicitis.
The most recent players to return to the squad are Alejandro Balde and Marc Casadó. Balde had been sidelined after picking up a distal femoral biceps injury in the narrow win over Leganés, while Casadó had suffered a partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee during the match against Atlético Madrid.
Still in Barça’s injury room, along with “El Tiburón” Torres, are Marc Bernal, Jules Koundé, and Pablo Torre, all still recovering from their respective injuries.
On the Espanyol side, coach Manolo González gets Omar El Hilali back after serving a one-match suspension for card accumulation in the last league game against Leganés, and Pol Lozano has recovered from injury.
Uncertainty in Barça’s lineup
Balde played 34 minutes in the win over Real Madrid, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start against Espanyol. The biggest question mark may be at right back. Flick is still without his first-choice option there, as Koundé remains sidelined.
Eric Garcia has been performing well in that role—despite it not being his natural position—so the Catalan defender might start again.
Meanwhile, Iñigo Martínez picked up his fifth yellow card during El Clásico and will serve a one-match suspension. That leaves Andreas Christensen or Ronald Araújo as possible partners for Pau Cubarsí in central defense.
Robert Lewandowski could also return to the starting lineup. The Polish striker was rested in the league Clásico and only played a few minutes in the second leg against Inter. He had been sidelined with an injury picked up against Celta and missed the biggest games of the season: the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League semifinals.
Probable lineups: Espanyol vs. Barcelona
Espanyol: Joan García; Omar El Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Edu Expósito, Urko, Pol Lozano; Antoniu Roca, Roberto, Puado.
Barcelona: Szczesny; Eric, Cubarsí, Christensen, Gerard Martín; De Jong, Pedri, Fermín; Lamine, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
