Espanyol captain warns Barcelona ahead of derby – ‘We expect to win’ | OneFootball

Barcelona are set to take on Espanyol this midweek, in the much-awaited derby.

It is going to be an important match-up for both teams. For Barça, a win this midweek could help them formally seal the league title, provided Real Madrid do not lose on Wednesday.

As for Espanyol, they will be desperately looking for three points, which will go a long way in aiding their survival hopes.

What Javi Puado said ahead of the Barcelona derby

Heading into this game, Espanyol captain Javi Puado talked about how his team is preparing for this crucial derby on Thursday.

“We know how important a game like this is for our fans and for us. We will try to give our all. We are playing at home, we are Espanyol, and we expect to win,” he said (h/t AS).

Puado is optimistic that Espanyol can get three points against a Barcelona side, which is coming on the back of a 4-3 win over Real Madrid.

The captain also talked about Espanyol’s recent form, with the team losing three back-to-back matches in La Liga.

Can Puado lead his team to victory against Barcelona? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“The team is in good shape. It’s true we’re coming off three defeats, but the team played well in Villarreal, and it was also a good game against Betis,” he said.

“We have to put the other day’s game against Leganés to rest and approach the derby with the maximum energy and desire that a match of this type deserves,” he added.

Finally, Puado admitted that the team is hungry after succumbing to a narrow and heartbreaking 2-3 defeat at the hands of Leganes.

“We had a poor first half, where Leganes took advantage of their opportunities. We were very poor, that’s the reality. Although we had that moment where we could have almost tied the game with Cheddira’s goal, which was just offside.

“We must be self-critical, and our positional and defensive play weren’t good. We have to rectify that,” he concluded.

Currently standing 14th in the league table, a win on Thursday could help Espanyol move out of the relegation battle.