FCBARCELONA.CAT

20.01.2009 11:13

Cup derbies

Berta Brau

This season will be the sixteenth time that FC Barcelona and Espanyol have crossed paths in the Spanish cup. Barça lead the way to date with ten wins in cup derbies.

The cup draw might be random, but it has always had a curiously common habit of pitting FC Barcelona and Espanyol against each other, and this season’s quarter final clash is the sixteenth time the local rivals have gone head to head in the knockout competition.

14 in the earlier rounds and one final

Barça and Espanyol’s most prominent meeting was in the 1956-57 season, when they met in the final. FC Barcelona collected the trophy after a 1-0 win thanks to a solitary goal from Sampedro.

The other 14 clashes have come in the earlier rounds, and Barça have come off good no fewer than 9 times, Espanyol only going through on five occasions.

Goals in derbies

Copa del Rey matches have traditionally seen plenty of goals being scored, and not one of the 29 encounters has ended scoreless. In total, 95 goals have been scored over the years, 54 by Barça and 41 by Espanyol.

Barça win most recent clash

The last derby in the cup was in the 2000/2001 season, and at the same quarter final stage as this term’s meeting. Barça, managed by Llorenç Serra Ferrer, beat Espanyol in Montjuïc 2-1, the goals scored by Rivaldo, in the 13th minute, and Alfonso in the 42nd, with the home side pulling one back in the 58th minute through Raúl Tamudo.

The job was already half done and Barça could afford to play it cool in the return at the Camp Nou. The game ended 1-1, with goals from Frank de Boer and Roger García.

Eight meeting in last eight

This is the eighth time Barça and Espanyol have met at this stage of the competition. Barça have clearly dominated these games, reaching the semi finals on 5 of the 7 occasions.