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Espanyol vs. Barcelona: 13 hrs 8 mins
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La Liga | Gameweek 15
Dec 31, 2022 at 1pm UK
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Alonso (7')
Fati (25'), Gavi (30'), Alba (74'), Torres (75'), Pedri (76'), Xavi (90+7'), Raphinha (90+5'), Tenas (90+7')
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Barcelona handed triple injury boost for Espanyol clash

:Headline: Barcelona handed triple injury boost for Espanyol clash:
Barcelona boss Xavi names a full squad for Saturday's Catalan derby with Espanyol, including Robert Lewandowski, Sergi Roberto, Franck Kessie and Ronald Araujo.
Sports Mole

Barcelona boss Xavi has been able to name a full squad for Saturday's Catalan derby with Espanyol.

The La Liga leaders were expected to be without the services of leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski, who was handed a three-game suspension following his red card against Osasuna last time out.

However, Barcelona have been successful in placing a temporary hold on the ban, which will allow the Poland international to take to the field in the Barcelona derby on Saturday.

The Catalan side have also been able to recover Ronald Araujo, Franck Kessie and Sergi Roberto, who were all absent before the break for the World Cup.

Memphis Depay is also back in the squad, with the attacker featuring for the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup.

Araujo travelled with the Uruguay squad for the World Cup despite not featuring for Barcelona since the middle of September, having undergone a thigh operation at the end of September.

The 23-year-old has now been cleared to make just his eighth appearance of the campaign, with the defender named in the squad for the clash with Espanyol.

Kessie, meanwhile, picked up a muscular problem during the Champions League clash with Viktoria Plzen art the start of November, but he is fit enough to return to the squad.

Barcelona have also been boosted by the return of Roberto, who had been on the sidelines since suffering a shoulder injury against Athletic Bilbao towards the end of October.

"When he was there with the Uruguayan national team, we talked and had communication with the coach," said Xavi during his pre-match press conference when asked about Araujo.

"In the end, the player's feelings decide, he has told us that he is very well, we have to slow him down a bit and we will be cautious. In principle, he won't start, but he could have minutes."

There had also been some doubt over Eric Garcia's fitness, with the defender picking up a small issue in training, but Xavi has said that the Spain international should be fit to feature.

"He has felt some discomfort. We'll see if he can play tomorrow, but I don't think his injury is serious. We are still counting on him for tomorrow's game," added the head coach.

Meanwhile, Xavi said that "we will see the workload and manage the minutes" when asked about Jules Kounde and Ousmane Dembele, who played in the World Cup final for France.

Barcelona squad vs. Espanyol:

Ter Stegen, Pena, Tenas; Bellerin, Araujo, Christensen, Alonso, Alba, Kounde, E Garcia, Balde; Busquets, Pedri, Kessie, Roberto, F de Jong, Gavi, Torre; Dembele, Lewandowski, Fati, F Torres, Memphis, Raphinha body check tags ::

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last updated article - 2022-12-30 14:49:44:
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La Liga Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona33264360114982
2Real Madrid34225770323871
3Atletico MadridAtletico33216660263469
4Real Sociedad34188845311462
5Villarreal341761152351757
6Real BetisBetis33157114037352
7GironaGirona34139125448648
8Athletic Bilbao34138134438647
9Osasuna34138133236-447
10Rayo Vallecano331210114042-246
11Sevilla33128134149-844
12Mallorca34128143337-444
13Celta Vigo33109143846-839
14Almeria34106184361-1836
15CadizCadiz34811152650-2435
16Real ValladolidValladolid33105183057-2735
17Valencia3397173640-434
18Getafe34810163043-1334
19Espanyol33710164056-1631
RElcheElche3337232564-3916
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