Barcelona derby with biggest points difference
On Sunday 14 May Barça go to the RCDE stadium to face city rivals Espanyol. It will be a key game for both sides with Xavi Hernández's team having the chance to seal the league title and with the home side needing points in their battle against relegation.
As well as being a chance to claim the La Liga title, the fixture also sees the biggest difference in points between the sides in the 21st century.
51 point difference
Barça top the La Liga table with 82 points whilst Luis García's Espanyol side are currently second to bottom with 31 points. The difference of 51 points between the two clubs is the greatest this century at the moment of a local derby.
The gap between the two clubs is even greater than in recent meetings in 2013 and 2020. In the 2012/13 campaign, the teams met in the penultimate round of fixtures with Tito Vilanova's team already champions on 94 points and with Espanyol in 11th on 44 points, a difference of 50 points. The game ended in a 2-0 win at the RCDE Stadium for Barça thanks to goals from Alexis and Pedro.
In the pandemic interrupted 2019/20 campaign, Quique Setién's team were second on 73 points at the time of the derby with Espanyol on 24 points, a difference of 49 points. The blaugranes ran out 1-0 winners that day at Spotify Camp Nou thanks to a goal from Luis Suárez.
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A big points difference does not always guarantee victory as in the 2008/09 season Barça were 42 points ahead of Espanyol when former blaugrana Iván de la Peña scored twice in a 2-1 win at Spotify Camp Nou for the visitors. The campaign ended successfully for both clubs with Espanyol avoiding relegation and the blaugranes claiming the treble under coach Pep Guardiola.
2002/03 closest season
During the entire 21st century, Barça have always been above Espanyol for the derby in the second half of the season. However, there have been moments when the difference has not been that pronounced. In 2002/03 in week 22 of the campaign, on 24 points the blaugranes were just two points ahead of their rivals. Nevertheless, goals from Cocu and Xavi gave Barça a 2-0 win at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and Radomir Antic's team would go on to finish sixth in La Liga.