Espanyol v Barça by the numbers

Winter champions

FC Barcelona have started 2020 with a point at local rivals Espanyol (2-2). A win would obviously have been nicer, but it does at least mean they stand top of the table at the halfway stage, and can thus claim the honorary title of ‘winter champions’, on goal difference ahead of Real Madrid, who won 3-0 at Getafe earlier in the day.

It’s the eighth time in 11 seasons that Barça have taken the honour, and on all but one occasion they have gone on to take the league title. Also in 2014/15, Barça may not have led at the halfway stage but when on to collect the trophy anyway.

Luis Suárez is on fire

The Uruguayan scored the first and set up the second of Barça’s goals for Arturo Vidal. Incredibly, it means he has had a hand in all ten of Barça’s last goals in La Liga, four goals and six assists.

Longest unbeaten run against single team

Barça have now gone an unprecedented 21 league games against Espanyol without defeat, winning 16 and drawing five. That’s now even more than Barça’s previous record run against Levante, setting a new club all-time best. Espanyol have not beaten their local rivals since Ivan de la Peña’s heroics at Camp Nou in 2009.

Luis Suárez first of 2020

Scoring the first goal of the calendar year has been Leo Messi territory in recent years, but in 2020 it’s El Pistolero who takes the honour. It was his eleventh goal of the season, coming in the 50^th minute off a Jordi Alba assist.

Killer Vidal

Quite extraordinarily, the Chilean has had six shots on goal this season, and every one of them has gone in. Tonight he came on as a substitute to power a header past Diego López.

De Jong sees first red

The Dutch midfielder got his first ever experience of the Barcelona derby tonight, and also his first ever experience of being sent off. After 59 games in the Eredivisie and 19 in La Liga, it was the first time he had been given his marching orders.