First Catalan derby for Wu Lei as Barca host Espanyol
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E-mail Xinhua, March 30, 2019
FC Barcelona entertain Espanyol on Saturday in the second Barcelona city derby of the season and a game that will have extra significance in China.
The match should see China's star forward Wu Lei look to continue his excellent run of form since joining Espanyol in one of the most emblematic football arenas in the world: Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium.
In addition, the game will also give Chinese fans (and others) the chance to make their own comparisons between Wu and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who is still believed by many to be the best player in the world.
Messi has rested this week after being released from international duty following Argentina's 3-1 defeat to Venezuela a week ago and should be fully fit and looking to build on his impressive tally of 29 league goals in 26 matches so far this season.
Two of those 29 goals came in another fine display which saw Barcelona beat Espanyol 4-0 in Cornella earlier this season, and Barca are clear favorites for another three points which would, temporarily at least, stretch their lead at the top of the league to 13 points over Atletico Madrid.
It's hard to guess the exact starting 11 Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will opt to field at the start of an intense month of football, which includes two rounds of midweek fixtures and the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but it looks as if Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will be able to partner Messi in attack after missing Uruguay's China Cup tour with a twisted ankle.
Espanyol cross town off the back of a home defeat to Sevilla which ended a six-game unbeaten run, and they have not won in the Camp Nou for nine years.
Coach Rubi has been able to recover some players from injury, but he is still without Pablo Piatti, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee issue.
When asked about the game in a press conference on Thursday, Espanyol midfielder, Esteban Granero commented that the team "wasn't expecting miracles to happen, but for us to play our best."
"If we reach our potential and don't make any bad mistakes and play at 100 percent, then we can win. We want to win and we are ready to compete at our best," he added.
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