Interesting facts and statistical curiosities surrounding Barça's derby win on Saturday.
- When Xavi Hernández replaced Andrés Iniesta in the 87th minute, the Barça captain made his 500th league appearance for Barça. In total, Xavi has played in 758 official games for the Club.
- Barça’s 2–0 victory at Power8 Stadium was the team’s 20th road win of the season — 12 in La Liga, 4 in the UEFA Champions League, and 4 in the Spanish Cup.
- Neymar scored the first goal of the day in the 17th minute. It came on a play that combined a total of 25 passes involving 10 players. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was the only Barça player not to be involved in the sequence.
- Barça remain unbeaten in Power8 Stadium. Since Espanyol moved from the Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc to Cornella-El Prat (now named Power8) in the 2009/10 season, Barça have yet to lose a road derby.
- Lionel Messi has scored a total of 50 goals this season for Barça and the Argentina national team. Forty-seven of them have come for the Club this year — 36 in La Liga, 8 in the Champions League, and 3 in the Spanish Cup.
- Messi is the top scorer in the history of Barça–Espanyol derbies in La Liga. He’s scored a total of 13 goals against Espanyol in the league.
- Barça thoroughly dominated Espanyol throughout the encounter with 71.9% possession. Around a quarter of the minutes played took place around the Espanyol penalty area. In the first half Barça’s possession was even higher, a staggering 80%.
- Sergio Busquets had a game-high 16 recovered balls.
- Saturday’s first-half goals from forwards Neymar and Messi added to an already eye-popping tally by Barça’s famed trident, which also includes striker Luis Suárez. All together, Barça’s Big Three have scored 97 goals this season in all competitions — 47 for Messi, 31 for Neymar, and 19 for Suárez.
- When Messi hit the post in the 56th minute on Saturday, it marked the 18th time Barça have hit the woodwork this season in La Liga.
