"One of them will be the battle between Alejandro Balde and Tyrhys Dolan, Espanyol's young English winger and one of the revelations of the season for the home side. The Barcelona left-back began the campaign well, but an injury sidelined him for five games and it took him some time to regain his best form. Now, however, he is once again surging down the left flank, where he forms an effective partnership with Raphinha."
"Against Espanyol, a demanding test awaits him, as he will most likely be tasked with defending Dolan, one of the wingers who most frequently looks to dribble past opponents. He also tends to do so with a high success rate. Although the Englishman has yet to score this season, he has already provided four assists from 16 La Liga games, and his directness and boldness have caused problems for more than one full-back so far."
FC Barcelona travel to RCDE Stadium to face RCD Espanyol in the Catalan derby, with both teams on impressive runs and added tension from Joan Garcia's return. Alejandro Balde is expected to contend with Tyrhys Dolan in a pivotal left-side duel, as Dolan is direct, frequently attempts dribbles with a high success rate and has provided four assists in 16 La Liga games. Balde began the season well, missed five games through injury, has regained form and links effectively with Raphinha, but must choose pressing moments carefully to avoid leaving exploitable space. The derby carries extra significance given Balde's past at Espanyol's academy and his decisive contributions in the May 2023 4-2 win that sealed the league title.
Read at Barca Universal
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