Barcelona coach Quique Setien is set to stick with Antoine Griezmann in attack against Espanyol after the Frenchman shone alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Villarreal.
Griezmann returned to the starting XI at the Estadio de la Ceramica after two games on the bench and scored a fine goal in what was Barca’s best performance since Setien’s arrival in January.
The French forward started in a central role next to Suarez, with Messi deeper, and Setien is likely to keep those tactics for the visit of relegation-threatened Espanyol.
Sergi Roberto could feature again after impressing in a midfield role against Villarreal as Barca seek a win to stay in the title race and move provisionally to within a point of leaders Real Madrid, in action at home to Alaves on Friday.
Frenkie de Jong was back in training for Barca on Tuesday after a calf problem which has seen him miss the last few games, but the Dutch midfielder has not been named in the squad for the Catalan derby.
Defenders Samuel Umtiti and Junior Firpo also miss out through injury, along with long-term absentee Ousmane Dembele, who is not eligible to play in LaLiga anyway this season after he was deregistered to allow Barca to sign striker Martin Braithwaite in February.
Espanyol are bottom of LaLiga, 11 points from safety with four rounds remaining, and defeat at Camp Nou would confirm their relegation to Segunda.
Barcelona predicted XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Vidal, Busquets, Sergi Roberto; Messi; Suarez, Griezmann
Espanyol predicted XI: Diego Lopez; Javi Lopez, Espinosa, Cabrera, Vila; Roca, Dani Lopez; Melendo, Barber, Embarba; Raul de Tomas
