Barcelona new arrival set to replace academy graduate in starting lineup vs Espanyol | OneFootball

Barcelona will head into Sunday’s derby against RCD Espanyol at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in perfect form following emphatic victories against Bayern Munich (4-1) in the UEFA Champions League and Real Madrid (0-4) in La Liga.

The Blaugrana have established a six-point lead at the top, which they can further stretch in light of Real Madrid’s La Liga game against Valencia being postponed.

Dani Olmo ready to start

Leading up to the game, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona summer arrival Dani Olmo is all set to return to the starting lineup against Espanyol, at the expense of Fermin Lopez.

Olmo spent over a month out on the sidelines after suffering an injury during the previous Catalan derby against Girona.

The 26-year-old new arrival returned to the squad against Sevilla but did not receive any minutes but featured in Barça’s last two matches against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Olmo ready to start vs Espanyol. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The Spanish international featured for fifteen minutes against the Germans and 25 minutes against Real Madrid. These two matches allowed manager Hansi Flick to ease him back into action and confirm that he has fully recovered from his injury

As such, Olmo is now poised to return to the starting lineup against Espanyol, taking the place of Fermin Lopez, who started in the Clasico, but was substituted at half-time for Frenkie de Jong, who is also expected to start on Sunday.

Before his injury, Olmo had scored in all three matches he had played for Barcelona and was among the standout performers at the start of the season.

The summer signing made his mark on his debut against Rayo Vallecano, changing the game after coming on at half-time to secure three points, scored again in the home thrashing of Real Valladolid, and found the net once more against Girona (1-4) before his injury.

Flick was delighted with his performances and had to rue his absence in six matches. But with Olmo now back and fully fit, he is all set to reclaim his place in the starting XI this weekend.