FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.01.2009 12:06

Differing fortunes since league encounter

Jesús Carrillo

Everything was going well for Espanyol, while at Barça there was doubt ahead of the first derby between the two sides earlier in the season. Now the Blaugrana are riding high while the Blanc i Blau have won just one match since then.

Espanyol began very well in the league as they recorded back-to-back wins to go first. FC Barcelona garnered just one point from the first six on offer,
but everything changed after the first meeting in the Estadi Olímpic (1-2). Since then Pep Guardiola's team have gone on to impres on all fronts, while
only Osasuna have been beaten by Espanyol.

Almost 100 per cent

Barça have almost a 100 per cent record in the league with 13 victories and won draw since they last played Espanyol and they have managed to picked up 40 points from a possible 42, a figure that has seen the team go top of the table with a 12-point advantage over Real Madrid and Sevilla, who are second and third respectively.

Eight points from 14 matches

Tintin Márquez and Mané were only able to garner one win between them and that came against Osasuna while every other game was either drawn or lost. Despite the odd good result, like the 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu, the home game against Numancia in week eleven of the league reflects how things have gone.

That day, the hosts led in the Estadi Olímpic only for the visitors to score late on to clinch an unlikely 3-4 victory and sum up the season that the Blanc i Blau have had.

Injury problems

The bad run of form saw Márquez dismissed first of all after the 13th match of the campaign, but that change did not see fortunes change. Mané was unable to turn things around and win a game and after the 17th round of games Espanyol are in the bottom three and five points from safety and he too lost his job.

Injuries have not been kind to Espanyol either. Raúl Tamudo has been out for many weeks as has Iván De la Peá, while Steve Finnan was brought in during the summer to replace Pablo Zabaleta, but he has been sidelined for a long period and has hardly played.