The season is in the final stage. Only 11 matches to play and Barca are the only team that played already its direct rivals while all other three contenders for the title Sevilla, Real Madrid and Valencia have yet to play each other. In each match, one of them will guaranteed drop points and this will do damage to their title hopes.


This season the La Liga championship is one of the most open title races in the last 5 years with only 6 points separating the first four teams.


After the break for the international games, the league championship will head into the decisive home stretch and it promises to be one of the most exciting finishes in recent seasons. It has been 5 years since the top four teams reached this stage of the season with so little to separate them. It demonstrates how evenly balanced the Spanish league is this season.


In four out of the last five season the teams in first position after 27 weeks finished as champions: València in 2001-02, Real Madrid in 2002-03 and Barça in the last two seasons. The only exception was Real Madrid in the season 2003-2004 when it was Valencia who came from behind in the closing weeks of the season to claim the title.


So, this looks all good for Barca to defend the title again!

Now is the period of transfer talks and rumours. Also Mexican defender Rafa Marquez of FC Barcelona has been subject to rumopurs about a possible move during the summer. But Mexico´s Captain insisted that he wants to remain with FC Barcelona until his contract expires in June 2010:

I have a unique desire to stay with Barcelona until the end of my deal but all depends on the club. If they want me to leave, no problems, but I am happy in Barcelona. I am surprised with these rumours but now I am settled in Barcelona and I have an excellent relationship. Nobody has asked any questions about this subject before but football has rare situations.

During his visit to Mexico he expressed his confidence that FC Barcelona can claim the Spanish Championship title for a third consecutive time and lift the Copa del Rey this year:

We are leaders in La Liga and for me the main favourites for the title and also the Copa del Rey.

Barca star and Brazilian world champion Edmílson is used to collect Championship medals. Brazilian world champion Edmílson has won his 5th Championship title in 5 consecutive years since his arrival in europe from Sao Paulo in Brazil: 3 Championships with Olympique Lyon and 2 with FC Barcelona. An achievement, not many football players have experienced before.


In Brazil, he also won the Brasileiro in the year 1998 and 2000.


On 17th of May in the Stade De France in Paris, Edmílson could win another trophy in the UEFA champions league final against Arsenal: The European Cup, Europe´s most important Club Championship title!

Match Preview: Saturday 06/05/2006 20:00 (GMT+2): La Liga match day 37
FC Barcelona - RCD Espanyol

Camp Nou, Barcelona – capacity: 99.000


Referee: Esquinas Torres


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes – Belletti (Gabri/Oleguer), Marquez, Puyol, Sylvinho (Gio) – Xavi (Van Bommel), Iniesta (Edmilson), Deco – Larsson (Giuly), Eto'o, Ronaldinho - Manager: Frank Rijkaard






RCD Espanyol(4-4-2): Iraizoz – Sergio Sanchez, Lopo, Jarque, David Garcia – Hurtado, Edu Costa, Ito, Corominas - Luis Garcia, Tamudo - Manager: Miguel Angel Lotina


Preview:

This years´s derby between FC Barcelona and Espanyol is, as so often in the past decades a very contrary event. On one side, there is the home team FC Barcelona that has won the Spanish Championship last Wednesday and on the other side is the Cup winner of this year Espanyol who struggles to stay up in La Pimera Liga. The newly crowned Spanish Champions will want to start their official celebrations with a win while Espanyol will fight for every inch on the pitch and every single point that can be won.


Before the match, to the delight of the Barca crowd, city-rival Espanyol has to line up and applaude to the Champions that will enter the pitch while the Barca hymn is played. For sure, one of the highlights of the evening! For the Barca crowed there is only one other team that could do a better job in this ceremonial act: the Non-Galacticos Merengues of Real Madrid!


After this beautiful and traditional ritual, Barca captain Carles Puyol will receive the Spanish championship trophy from the Spanish Football Federation President (who probably will be booed at, as any official from Madrid) prior to kick-off and he will present the trophy to the “Culés”.


For at least two Barca players, tonights match will be the last one in their career for FC Barcelona: Henrik Larsson and Gabri.
Both Barca player´s will leave the Club at the end of the season. One of Barca supporter´s favourite “Henke” Larsson finally decided to return home to Helsingborg, much against the wishes of the Barca fans, players and coaching staff. Gabri´s contract ends in the summer and after spending a long time as a fringe player in the first team it is time to move on. Gabri spent all his footballing life at Barca. Both Barca players, Swede Larsson and Catalan Gabri will be honoured by the Camp Nou crowd.


FC Barcelona coach claimed that he and his players will take the match very serious and they go out for a win. Barca´s superstar Ronaldinho will be out to entertain the Barca crowd with his exceptional skills and surely he will add value with his magical tricks to the "Fiesta" at Camp Nou. La Liga leading goal scorer Eto'o will be desperate to score a few more goals to widen his lead as "Pichichi" and to challenge Luca Toni of Fiorentina for the "Golden Boot" to become European's top goal scorer.


With Xavi back, Rijkaard has full choice in midfield and it will be difficult for him to put some of his great midfielder on the bench. Deco will be starting and for the other 2 places will fight 5 players: Iniesta, Edmilson, Van Bommel, Thiago Motta and Xavi.


We expect both brazilian attacking full-backs, Belletti and Sylvinho to start accompanied by Barca captain Puyol and Mexican Marquez in the two ncentral positions in defence. Gabri will make an appearance at some point later in the match. In attack we will have as usual Ronaldinho and Eto'o. The third attacker will be most likely the crowd favourite, Henrik Larsson, due to the fact that it will be his last appearance in Camp Nou, which will leave french winger Giuly on the bench.


Espanyol´s Lotina will be without two important midfielder´s, Brazilian Fredson and Ex-Barca "Little Buddha" Ivan De la Peña. Inspirational De La Pena will be missed in the creativity department of the midfield.





Our Prediction:

Espanyol will not give up and fight until the last minute for survival and to get some points out of Camp Nou. Espanyol will have the sympathy of the city-rivals and nobody wants to see them going down to Segunda A it will be extremely difficult for them to get a result. Barca will be able to play freely without any pressure and they will be just the better team.
But just for Espanyols sake:


FC Barcelona 3 - RCD Espanyol 3 (Eto'o scores 3!)

Visca el Barca!


Music: I say I little prayer 4u
Courtesy of fcbarcelonablog




Here are the odds for the game.

FC Barcelona 1,60

Draw 3,40
RCD Espanyol 5,50


To place your bet click here

FC Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has called up every player for the game against Espanyol at Camp Nou on Saturday evening.


Barca coach Frank Rijkaard has not produced a list of players after confirming that all 22 players of the entire Barca squad be part of that special day, including the injured Leo Messi. With championship celebrations before and after the derby against city-rival Espanyol, dutch boss Frank Rijkaard wanted nobody to be left out after the massive team effort throughout the entire season to defend the Spanish Championship title.


Unforunately Barcelona manager Rijkaard has to name 18 players for the official squad for the match as that is the maximum number allowed for any league game. The four players left out will have to watch the match from the stands, but will join the team on the pitch right after the final whistle.


Music: Lets Stay Together
Courtesy of fcbarcelonablog