A rejuvenated Karim Benzema scored twice in a LaLiga match for the first time in almost five months as 10-man Real Madrid beat struggling Espanyol 4-2.The France international scored in the first half either side of Sergio Ramos’ header to register his first league double since September 1.Substitute Gareth Bale, in the squad for the first time since sustaining a calf problem on January 3,...Full Story »

Real Madrid cruised into third place in LaLiga after Karim Benzema inspired Santiago Solari's side to victory over Espanyol. Karim Benzema scored twice during a rampant first-half display as 10-man Real Madrid moved into third place in LaLiga with a 4-2 victory at Espanyol. Having lost 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last season, Madrid were quick to ensure they did not suffer a similar fat...Full Story »

Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari believes Karim Benzema is currently one of the world’s leading strikers and someone who makes the players around him better. Benzema notched his 13th goal of the season in all competitions in Thursday night’s Copa del Rey win against Girona. The France international has continued to be a standout performer for the European champions despite...Full Story »

Eibar eased their relegation fears with a commanding 3-0 victory over Espanyol at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium.The hosts headed into Monday’s fixture without a win from their last six La Liga outings, while Espanyol were looking to build on last week’s 3-1 victory against Villarreal in the Copa del Rey.But it was the home side who cruised to an impressive victory, their first since N...Full Story »

Willian Jose scored twice as Real Sociedad beat Espanyol 3-2 in a Monday night LaLiga thriller.Real raced into a two-goal lead after only eight minutes, with Mikel Merino opening the scoring with a close-range finish from a corner.Five minutes later David Lopez handled in the area and, after a VAR review, a penalty was awarded which Willian Jose converted.But Espanyol clawed their...Full Story »

Days after being voted the fifth best player in the world, Lionel Messi scored two world-class free-kicks in a derby thumping of Espanyol. Lionel Messi produced an incredible individual performance as LaLiga leaders Barcelona demolished Espanyol 4-0 in Saturday's Catalan derby. Messi placed fifth in this week's Ballon d'Or voting, the first time he has been outside the top three since 2006, ...Full Story »

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has warned his players to be ready for one of their toughest derby encounters in recent years when they visit Espanyol on Saturday.Espanyol sit seventh in LaLiga, seven points behind leaders Barcelona who have taken 28 points from their opening 14 matches. Barca enjoyed the upper hand over their city rivals for several years but the gap narrowed last season, with...Full Story »

Espanyol moved up to second in LaLiga as they edged out Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at the Power8 Stadium on Monday night.The visitors bossed possession and had the better of the first half, but Borja Iglesias’ 41st minute header was enough for Espanyol to record their sixth win of the season and move to within three points of leaders and rivals Barcelona.The three points did not come easily thoug...Full Story »

Espanyol missed the chance to move level on points with Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga following a 2-2 draw with struggling Rayo Vallecano. The visitors went behind early on as Raul De Tomas netted, but they responded courtesy of goals from Borja Iglesias and Esteban Granero.However, Rayo secured a point that moved them out of the relegation zone with a Gael Kakuta penalty.De Tom...Full Story »

Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui admitted his players had looked tired during a 1-0 win over Espanyol which sent them top of LaLiga.Marco Asensio scored the only goal four minutes before half-time, but Los Blancos’ performance levels dropped after their midweek Champions League win against Roma.“They are three important points from a complex and difficult match,” Lopetegui was ...Full Story »

Marco Asensio’s goal was enough to seal Real Madrid a 1-0 victory over Espanyol that lifted them to the top of LaLiga.Asensio’s low angled finish shortly before the break sealed Real a third straight home win, but they were far from convincing against dogged opponents.Julen Lopetegui’s side dismantled Champions League rivals Roma at the Bernabeu in midweek, but lacked the same ...Full Story »

Julen Lopetegui intends to make full use of his squad to keep Real Madrid competitive in both LaLiga and Europe.Los Blancos opened the defence of their Champions League crown with a 3-0 win over Roma on Wednesday night.There is, though, little time to regroup as Espanyol head to the Bernabeu for the start of a hectic run of fixtures which also includes the Madrid derby at the end of Septemb...Full Story »

Gerard Moreno struck deep in stoppage-time to give Espanyol a dramatic 1-0 win over Real Madrid at RCDE Stadium.A much-changed Real Madrid, with Cristiano Ronaldo left out of the squad, looked to have done enough to labour to a share of the points.However, with more than two minutes of added time played, Espanyol broke clear and Moreno crashed the ball past Keylor Navas to give the Barcelona clu...Full Story »

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is not letting Espanyol’s lowly league placing fool him into thinking Tuesday’s clash will be a stroll in the park for his rejuvenated side.Madrid head to the RCDE Stadium looking to build on a seven-match unbeaten run in LaLiga which has seen them pick up six victories and score 30 goals.That improved form – Madrid also beat Paris St Germa...Full Story »

Gerard Pique was unapologetic after celebrating his equaliser in Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against city rivals Espanyol by hushing the opposition’s fans.Pique’s gesture came after Espanyol reported the defender to the Royal Spanish Football Federation for referring to them as “Espanyol from Cornella” following the teams’ Copa del Rey tie last month.Cornella is a su...Full Story »

Gerard Pique netted a late equaliser as Barcelona salvaged a 1-1 derby draw at Espanyol which extended their unbeaten start to the LaLiga season to a club-record 22 games.Espanyol had looked set to follow up last month’s shock Copa del Rey triumph over their neighbours with another upset when Gerard Moreno put them ahead in the 66th minute at a rain-drenched RCDE Stadium.But Barca, whose c...Full Story »

Barcelona have the chance to break a club record on Sunday when they take on city rivals Espanyol for the third time in just over a fortnight. If the runaway LaLiga leaders avoid defeat at the RCDE Stadium it would stretch their unbeaten start to the league season to 22 games. That would be the best run in the club’s history, and move them to within 10 games of equalling the national r...Full Story »

Following the Copa del Rey tie between the rival clubs at the Camp Nou, Espanyol have called on the anti-violence committee to investigate Gerard Pique's comments. There have been additional complaints made about remarks Sergio Busquets made as well as chants heard from the Camp Nou crowd. Espanyol want these three incidents analysed as they believe they are statements which incite violence,...Full Story »

Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Barcelona were beaten in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final against Espanyol Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Barcelona's 29-match unbeaten record came to a shuddering halt at rivals Espanyol. Messi saw his spot-kick saved by Diego Lopez before Espanyol substitute Oscar Melendo scored a memorable winner two minutes from time in the first leg of t...Full Story »

Ernesto Valverde has managed something that few coaches of Barcelona or Espanyol have been capable of, which is being loved by the opposition team's fans. That's because he used to play for and coach Los Pericos and they will applaud him when he visits the RCDE Stadium on Wednesday evening, even if he now comes with their arch rivals. He insisted in Tuesday's press conference that he is fo...Full Story »