Overview
- Kickoff at RCDE Stadium is Saturday, Jan. 3 at 9pm CET (8pm GMT/3pm ET), with coverage on ESPN+ in the U.S. and Disney+ in the U.K.
- League leaders Barcelona enter on a strong winning run and can open a temporary seven-point gap before Real Madrid host Real Betis on Sunday.
- Hansi Flick’s side are missing Ronald Araujo, Gavi and Andreas Christensen, while Pedri is expected to return and Ferran Torres and Raphinha are tipped to spearhead the attack.
- Espanyol sit fifth after an impressive first half of the season and rely on a disciplined defense led by goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
- Ex-Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia is set for a hostile homecoming in goal for Barcelona, with bookmakers favoring the visitors and previews predicting a tight contest.