Overview
- Kickoff is Saturday, January 3 at 21:00 in Spain (15:00 Peru/Colombia; 14:00 Mexico; 17:00 Argentina/Chile).
- Broadcasts are confirmed by territory: Movistar/DAZN platforms in Spain, DIRECTV Sports/DSports and DGO across much of Latin America, and ESPN Select with fuboTV and ESPN platforms in the United States; Sky Sports carries the match in Mexico.
- Barcelona enter as LaLiga leaders on a long winning run, while Espanyol arrive in the top five after consecutive league victories.
- Previews list Andreas Christensen and Gavi as absences for Barcelona, with Dani Olmo and Pedri reported as doubts for the lineup.
- The buildup has sharpened after Espanyol’s Pere Milla quipped about "stepping on" Lamine Yamal on a local program, and outlets differ on labeling the fixture as Matchday 18 or 19.